Gentleman vs Scoundrel
by brainDamage089
Summary: Victoria Lawrence alone single and wanting love has a decision to make: which is better a gentleman or a scoundrel? Det. Flack goes to his favorite bar to pick up women and got more than he bargained for. FlackOC. Might turn M much later. Fair Warning!
1. Blue Eyes Meet Green

Disclaimers: Any and all CSI: NY characters are not my own. I'm just borrowing them for this fic. All other characters that you don't recognize are my own creation.

A/N: Hey, it's me again. I got this idea out of my own head wishing I were older and able to date Don Flack. Heh, so… ya… I'm taking a break from my other work and just getting this one out cause I haven't been able to not think about it ever since I thought it up on a whim. Who knew what a moment of craziness could do? Anyway here it is. Oh and I think I want this to be a one hitter but if I get good (and nice) reviews we'll see what happens ;-)

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Detective Don Flack sat at the bar of his favorite local hot spot. He could always find single women to impress with his superb dating skills. And tonight, he was all ready for them. He was in his favorite black suit. No tie of course. With his favorite blue shirt that set off those eyes that always made the ladies swoon. He had the first three buttons undone so that all the women could get a taste of what they could have and it made him feel very comfortable in his own skin as well. His hair was also just the way he and the ladies liked it; a little messy but styled perfectly.

He had never failed to be without someone yet somehow he could never find that one person with that special spark that he needed. Most girls were the "in the moment" kind. Tonight however he felt that things were going to be different as he looked around the bar taking slow patient sips of his beer.

He watched as people sat and talked. Everyone had someone it seemed. He was loosing hope of finding someone in the bar and was beginning to think that he should just go to the club around the corner to pick up some young slut with all the right moves when he stumbled on this lonely woman in a very sexy red dress sitting at the bar. He didn't mean to stare as she looked at herself in her mirror but she looked too good not to stare.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Victoria looked around for single gentlemen that she could have a relationship with as she sipped her red wine. She was loosing hope and fast. Even though she came to the bar with her best friends for a drink and some conversation, other guys in the bar had approached them as she looked around the bar for them.

Her friend Teresa had found some sexy Latin man that she could make out with and talk Spanish to. He had tattoos and biceps and she was already hooked. Her friend Janel had found some cute rocker slash artist guy with a quiet, shy sense about him and enough jokes to keep her laughing all night. Jojo had found herself a hot Asian to keep up with her intelligence and would argue against her with just as good points as she had. Also her sweetest friend Rama had found herself a nice fellow her very traditional Hindu parents would approve of. He was Hindu as well of course.

She wondered what she had done wrong as she looked at herself in her mirror. She wasn't under or over dressed. She was in her favorite red dress. It was sleeveless and fell just above her knee with a small slit going up her right thigh to entice and it exposed just enough skin in the back and the front let her expose the right amount of cleavage to keep the men interested. She had her makeup perfectly done to accent her lips and green eyes. She even had her hair swooped up into a cute little bun with a few flirty tendrils hanging around her face and neck. She felt that she looked as perfect as she was ever going to get but she couldn't understand why men didn't seem to feel the same.

That was when her train of thought was broken when she couldn't seem to get the thought that there were these eyes staring at her. She looked up, her green eyes meeting a gorgeous pair of blue that winked at her.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Flack had never seen anyone looking like this in a long time. She had curves in all the right places and he was never one to go for the emaciated kind of girl. He liked a girl that wasn't afraid to look healthy; it meant that they could cook. He almost felt like a lecher as he watched her move in her red dress that fell just right on her. He watched as she took a sip of her wine and then looked up at him.

He all of a sudden was very nervous and didn't know what to do. _Hold a sec Flack of course you know what to do_, he thought to himself ever the player. He winked at her and gave her the trademark smile that he knew would do the trick.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Victoria gasped all of a sudden very breathless._ Oh my god. He winked at me! Hey, he has nice eyes and a great smile, _Victoria thought to herself as she watched this mysterious gentleman from across the bar. Her stomach was doing flips as she flashed him a flirty yet shy smile.

Victoria watched from her seat as all of a sudden the man got up and was approaching her. _Oh no here he comes its ok relax Vicki you've done this before its fine just keep a cool head and try not to get mixed up in those eyes like you know you're probably going to. Oh gods he does look good in that suit. Focus Vicki here he comes. _

Her mental mantra would have made any man go crazy as she watched him walk over with a swagger taking his time. She watched with bated breath as his glittering eyes took her all in. He leaned against the bar with ease and she could swear that the entire bar could hear her heartbeat but what she didn't know was that the man's heart was almost exactly the same way.

Victoria thought that she would almost melt when she heard his deep sexy voice greet her. "Hi!" was all that he said.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Flack watched the mystery woman smile back at him. _Cute smile, _he thought to himself. He couldn't believe he was doing this. He's picked up women in bars before but they've never looked that good. He almost thought he didn't deserve his luck as he looked at her.

_Ok, let's end the suspense_, he thought as he moved to walk over to her. Drink in hand he walked with a swagger letting her take him all in. Boy, was she taking him in. He watched her pretty green eyes run up and down him three times at least before their eyes met again. The more they stared at each other the faster his heartbeat became.

_Don't worry Don just remember keep your cool. You can do this. Its just conversation,_ Flack thought as he leaned expertly on the bar and felt the word "Hi!" fall expertly from his mouth. He almost thought he could see her swoon even though she didn't but he could tell he had her, and it might sound cliché but he had a feeling that he had her from the word hello.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

"Hello!" Victoria said to the gentleman flashing him a friendly smile. She leaned in towards him and crossed her legs so that the slit in her dress exposed her thigh. She caught him peeking too. And when their eyes met she gave him a saucy smile.

_So this is the game_, Flack thought to himself. _She plays it well. Hell, lets play along with her_. "So what's a beautiful dame like yourself doing in a place like this?" Flack questioned her with a wry chuckle.

Without missing a beat Victoria responded. "Well what's a scoundrel like you doing here talking to a dame like me?" She smiled a smile that wrinkled her nose a little to show that she was kidding. She almost couldn't contain the laugh that threatened to burst from inside her. _This is almost too funny_, she thought to herself.

Flack chuckled to himself in his mind, _so this is going to be a game of words; all right I think I can handle that._ "Well only to keep lecherous gentlemen from putting their sly moves on such an innocent lady such as yourself."

"Well aren't you trying to do the same Mr… uh…" Victoria could've killed herself right then and there. _I knew my mouth would get into trouble. This guys probably never going to want to talk to me ever again_, Victoria thought miserably to herself.

"It's Detective, actually, my name is Detective Don Flack and please call me Don. And what's your name, Miss…?" He smiled down at her. They both knew that he was hitting on her so there was no need to let anything said between them to get to him.

Victoria smiled right back at him. _It's a good thing he doesn't let things get to him easily. _"A detective? Wow, so you're a trustworthy and protective scoundrel. Not many of you come here often. My name's Victoria Lawrence. Please call me Victoria or even Vicki all of my friends do."

"Yes I have to admit this kind of scoundrel is hard to come by. Two more please, barkeep." Flack said this to the bartender without once leaving Victoria's eyes he knew that the had both been finished with their drinks and that he was planning on staying by Victoria's side for a very long time. "And please this round is on me." He said with a smile that made Victoria wonder if she could stand or if her knees would be completely made out of jello. She was completely entranced by this strange detective and his blue twinkling eyes. She barely heard soft slow jazz pouring in from the speakers but just kept on smiling up at Don.

"Would you care to dance Victoria?" Don said to her offering her his hand and ending the suspense.

_How could I say "no"?_ Victoria offered Don a smile that made his pulse quicken. "Of course." She said grabbing his hand and gracefully descending from the barstool.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Flack guided Victoria to the dance floor letting her cut in front around the tables and chairs, with a hand protectively on the small of her back. He also got an opportunity to watch the fabric of her red dress drape around her and swish seductively. Flack could've sworn he heard himself let out a very husky groan. _Easy boy. Don't lose control you know you want to do this right._ Flack calmed himself down as they reached the dance floor. Flack expertly turned her around and guided a hand across her hip. He had to gulp and increase his mental mantra._ Oh god, everything about her feels so perfect! How come God decided to be so good to me now?_

Little did he know, that Victoria was doing all she could from dragging his head down to hers so that she could just kiss him. She began to relax however as the music began to flow through her and they began to sway with it. He was such a gentlemanly scoundrel. Not once did his hand around her waist go anywhere else. He spun her in time with the music rather expertly and Victoria was in such bliss that she let out a sigh that she didn't intend when she laid her head on his chest. It was so cute that Flack laid his head on hers and smiled into her hair. He decided at this point to get cute. "So what do you think is better a gentleman or a scoundrel?" He said softly into her hair so that only she could hear. She looked up into his eyes as he smiled down to her.

"Definitely scoundrel." She said and they both began to laugh as the song ended. Flack guided Victoria from the dance floor back to the bar.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

The drinks Flack had ordered and paid for were waiting for them when they got back as both were slightly breathless from dancing in such close proximity to one another. _This is going better than I had planned_, Flack thought as he took a refreshing swig of his new beer. Thank goodness for that because he didn't realize he was as thirsty as he was. Victoria felt the exact same way as she took a gulp of her wine.

"So you never did tell me what you do for a living, Vicki." Flack said pushing forward the conversation that had gotten comfortably quiet but he wasn't going to just sit there and stare into those gorgeous green eyes all night he wanted to see what was behind them.

"Oh," Vicki said putting her drink back on the bar gaining confidence in a subject that she knew all too well. "I'm Assistant Creative Director in a major advertising firm here in the city." She told him with a proud smile.

"So you must be one of those artsy types." Flack chuckled as he leaned up against the bar. He enjoyed finally hitting on a girl that either wasn't too into science and his own detective work or wasn't as dumb as the pool cue they played with. He could tell that this one in front of him was rather brilliant with her confident sultry green eyes upon him.

"Well I consider myself very creative if that's what you mean." She laughed to herself she had almost forgotten what it was like to have a conversation with a guy and hold his attention for more than ten seconds before he turned his attention back to his work. At least that's what it was like trying to get the attention of some of the so-called men at her office. One of the pitfalls of loving your work a little too much seeing as how this was the first time she saw anything or anyone other than her office building and her apartment in more than just a several months. "I'm responsible for plenty of the billboards and commercials you see around you on a daily basis." She smiled to herself, damn, she was good, a confident grin caressing her face.

They had spent another few minutes being absorbed in each other's glow when Victoria heard the bluesy voice of Janis Joplin grace the speakers. She half squealed, half gasped in excitement and when she looked over at Flack felt the heat rise to her cheeks in embarrassment. She shyly looked down at looked back up and saw his blue eyes sparkling more than ever at her. "I love this song and I'm a big fan of Janis Joplin. Do you mind if we dance to this one?" She asked quietly with shy voice and an even shyer smile. _She acts so cute,_ he thought to himself. Flack only nodded in response and midway to the dance floor assured her that it was ok.

"I like a girl that's into my kind of music." He said for only her to hear as once again he took firm hold of her only this time both hands were on her waist and she brought her hands behind his neck taking them into a closer proximity to one another than ever. She smiled dreamily up at him as they swayed and turned to the music.

They could do nothing for a while but look into each other's eyes happy but unsure of what to next. Victoria however was going to take matter into her own hands. She loosened her hands from around the back of his neck and turned around so that she leaned up against him. She turned her head and looked up at him with a daring smile draping an arm around his neck and the side of his face from behind as she felt the husky groan come from his chest vibrate through her back as she ground her hips into him. She was at just the right height to have the desired effect. She would continue to do this for the better part of the song in step with the- in Flack's mind painfully slow- music.

Victoria guided his hands to slide up and down from her stomach and hips to her waist hugging her loving the feel of them around her and he loved the feel of having her in his arms as she gracefully turned in his arms to face him again as the music came to an end once again. Only this time she had forgotten how close they were to one another and when she turned around as she saw the husky animalistic and very attractive look in his now dark and smoky blue eyes. She saw them dance from her eyes to her luscious lips and back up again. She didn't get the chance to be absorbed in them for long as he closed the very small distance between them as he had probably already read the desire that flowed from her green eyes.

The kiss was only innocent for a few seconds when their lips touched as she felt Flack strengthen his hold before releasing it to cup the sides of her face and neck with both of his hands tipping her head backwards as his tongue slid along her lips begging for entrance. She opened up very slightly as he gently proceeded. It didn't take long before she let him in all the way in leaving him almost growling out loud in patient protest before he ended the kiss both breathless.

"Do you want to get out of here? Maybe we could talk some more, maybe, as I drive you home." Flack said with an all too happy smile. She nodded and went to grab her bag at the bar as Flack went to get his coat. Victoria had her shall wrapped up in her purse so that she could keep it with her. She motioned to him one second as he looked at her from across the bar at the door. She whirled around to find one of her friends, breathless and way too excited for her own good. She found them all where she left them and went to the one girl she knew wouldn't forget what she was about to tell her.

She ran to Janel's table as she tapped her shoulder, allowing Janel to excuse herself for a second. Victoria waited until she was just barely out of earshot before she started talking to Janel in a hurry.

"Look I know I don't normally do this but I've never felt this kind of connection with anyone else before in my life. His name is Don Flack; he's a detective with the NYPD. He's very protective and very safe and very hot and a very god kisser and standing over there waiting to take me home." Victoria said pointing in Don's direction. Janel looked over and saw him wave a quick 'hi' and laughed shaking her head. She knew Vicki didn't fall in and out of love easily and when one slapped her in the face like this even though it wasn't the safest situation possible for a single girl in New York City she couldn't let Vicki pass up this opportunity. She'd tease her later about the starry eyed smile in Vicki's eyes in the morning.

"Ok go on and I'll see at the apartment in the morning. Will that be breakfast for an extra person as well then?" She asked with a curious smirk wondering if Vicki would take the risqué plunge on a whim. She thought right, as Vicki vehemently shook her head 'no'. They hugged and said their goodbyes before Vicki rushed to Flack's side. Flack chuckled to himself as he had watched their exchange from afar with his detective skills knowing that they must've been the best of friends for the longest time since some of their exchange looked almost like just knowing glances and understanding nods and shakes of the head. Vicki took his arm as he led her out of the bar and to his car.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Once they were outside the cool air rushed around Vicki as she slipped on her shall. It felt awfully refreshing. _Don was right we did need to get out of there_, she thought to herself. She was enjoying the sky up above when she felt Don's arm snake around her own again as they both got comfortable with the climate around them. "This way." He guided her to his car. He opened the door and helped her climb in like the gentleman he really was. He closed her door and climbed in his side as he began to start the car.

She looked up at him and he almost had to gulp again when he saw that even though they were in the dark her eyes were still twinkling with a desire and for him. He realized that there was a bit of an awkward silence that he needed to end. He wondered though how far this thing could go. "Where do you live?" He questioned her not sure of where to drive.

"I don't live far from here. Just drive I'll show you where to go." She told him all too innocently for his taste. Still he figured what the hell as they drove off.

They stared at each other not saying anything really interesting for most of the ride Flack paying attention to the rode and Victoria telling him where to go. Finally she pointed to a nice little apartment house and Flack expertly pulled over to the front of it.

Victoria was about to let herself out when Flack grabbed her wrist. "What do you think I am a gentleman? Here wait for me and I'll help you out." He said with a grin as he closed his door and made his way to the other side of the car.

He didn't realize that that little touch made the breath in Victoria's throat hitch and goose bumps rise on her skin. She watched him as he made his way to her side of the car. He almost got run over by a crazy driver, which he yelled at before he opened her door holding out a hand for her. She blushed and tried to thank him profusely once she got out but he waved it off with a hand telling her that it was nothing.

They made to the front of the building at the edge of the stairs that lead up to the door that would bring this night to an end and Victoria didn't want it to be! _How dare this perfect night come to an end! _Vicki thought furiously to herself. She had been staring at her feet wondering what to do next. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she gasped when she felt his gentle yet strong hand lightly grab her chin so that he could lift her head.

She lost all sense of the world around them when their eyes met. His eyes seem to bore into her soul and it scared her. Yet they were gentle and kind and she knew that there was nothing to worry about from this man as he closed the gap between them and brought his lips to meet hers. This time they deepened the kiss together both knowing this is what they wanted. Victoria was the one to end it as both of their chests heaved from lack of air. She loved looking into his blue eyes.

"Would you like to come up?" She said suddenly but she didn't want him to get any ideas as the questioning but suggestive look came upon his face and she was quick to correct his thoughts. "For like a cup of coffee or another beer. Nothing funny I promise we've only just met." She said with a nervous chuckle as she walked up the stairs getting her key out to open the door looking back waiting for him to follow and she watched him smirk as he did. She smiled back at him as she opened the door and took his hand to lead him up.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

They reached her door in a hurry and Flack was waiting for her to open the door when all of a sudden she turned around rather abruptly and brought her lips to his. She deepened the kiss quickly but he didn't object as he brought his arms around her to hold her tight. He felt that even though they only knew each other for a few hours she could become a permanent part of his life. He felt her all of a sudden break away and was ready to groan in objection but gulped in surprise as Victoria began to nip her way along his jaw line and down his neck. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he leaned into her attention. She worked her way along his collarbone moving away his coat, jacket and shirt to expose his skin to her. She then kissed her way back up the same way she went then stopped where she felt pulse and bit and sucked along there before kissing it away and then continued to kiss her way back to his lips where she captured them once more before breaking away.

"Goodnight." Was all that Victoria wanted to say as she made her way to open the door not willing all of a sudden to let him inside her apartment just yet. Don could tell this. He knew that she was definitely interested but not ready to let him into her completely private space and he understood that. Hell, he didn't let someone women into his apartment either. Still he definitely wanted to get to know her better.

So he quickly slipped out a pen and his card from his pocket and wrote his apartment phone number and cell on the back of it before quickly turning her around to face him as he brought her lips to his once more. It was a passionate yet quick kiss. He loved the way her eyes looked up at him when they broke away. They were innocent yet filled with passion and wisdom. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were swollen from all of their kisses. He slipped the card into her hand that was at her side and closed her fingers over it smiled at her while looking in her eyes.

"Goodnight." Was all that Flack said with his trademark smirk. He walked away not looking back as he went down the stairs and out the building not being able to hide the extremely wide and happy smile that was on his face the entire way home.

While he was driving home it had taken Victoria several minutes after he had left to regain her bearings before she made her way into her apartment. She closed the door, leaned her back against it and slid down to the floor. She smiled to the gods above and sighed contently.

That was mere seconds before she screamed excitedly and ran into her bedroom taking off everything but her dress and belly flopped into it laughing to herself. She closed her eyes for a second in mere peace when all of a sudden she felt a slight sleepy haze begin to wash over her. She rolled over and got out of the bed and got ready for sleep before she climbed back into it and waited for the well deserved happy sleep to wash over her. All she could see in her sleep was Flack and everything about him she hoped she would learn to love. She had never been so happy ever in her life.


	2. Thinking of You

Disclaimers: CSI: NY characters are too brilliant to be my own don't own them. Any characters you don't recognize are mine .

A/N: Hey omg I can't believe I posted the other night before without even thinking I'd get reviews and I've got reviewers already!!!! It makes me sooo happy!!! So ya it's time for shout outs!!!!

Thanks to Forest Angel, Raven 4129, StokesSandersSpeedle, and Sunny3886 (I went in alphabetical order without even meaning to:P) love you guys for reviewing!! It's going to be a multi-chap story thanks to you guys!! Can't let my readers down now can I??!!

Ok so enough of that and lets get on with the story!!!!

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Victoria sat at her desk in her office that afternoon after a long morning explaining to some of the many women in her office why her smile was a hundred times bigger than any other smile she had ever worn in front of them. She had many of them asking if her mysterious detective had a brother or cousin. She had only met him last night! It had been a long day. She had a hard time focusing with all of the thoughts in her head about her Detective that seemed to not want to go away no matter how many times she shook her head. She had a hard time concentrating on her work but it was ok since this was one of their few slow days at the firm.

Her eyes ran from the phone back to the card that she turned in her hands. She smiled as she ran her hands over his handwriting. The words call me were screaming out at her as the letters were capitalized underlined and there was an exclamation point at the end. She had to smile at this. Like he was letting her know that she _could_ call, that she _should _call. She also smiled when she remembered the conversations about last night with her girlfriends that morning.

_Flackbash _(That was an accident I swear but I think that it should stay that way cause of the fic, lol.)

She had woken up late when she checked her alarm clock. It had failed to wake her up on time yet again! Yet she always managed to get to work before a lot of people. Cursing at herself as she ran into the bathroom she was ready in no time. Still no matter how rushed and mad she was there was still a smile on her face. Her girlfriends smiled as they watched her. She finally had a chance to stop as she drank the first of her many cups of coffee for that day. She looked around the kitchen wondering why it had all of a sudden gotten very quite and watched as all their eyes were on her.

"So…" Jojo was the first to say anything as she very quickly put the newspaper in front of her face so that Vicki couldn't see the sneaky smile grace her lips as she tried not to crack up and laugh hysterically. "Someone had a good time last night." She cleared her throat extra loudly as the rest of the girls snickered over their breakfasts. Vicki smacked the back of Jojo's paper and all four girls cracked up hysterically and Vicki blushed as she to joined the laughter. Moments like these made Vicki wonder why she stuck with this bunch of lunatics for as long as she did but then she looked around with fondness and laughed in her head. _They know too much that's why._ She told herself as she put her cup in the sink. God forbid she ever betrayed them they would have more blackmail on her than even the FBI but she loved it that way.

Vicki announced that she was leaving for work and that she'd see them for dinner kissing everyone on the cheek before heading out the door for another day at the office everything else around being drowned out by her girlfriends' laughter. She shook her head and smiled as the laughter followed her out.

_End Flackbash_

She ran her fingers over his name and the shield of the NYPD one more time as she made up her mind. She was going to call him. She was about to reach for the phone when her secretary walked in.

"Vicki?" She called as she poked her head through the door.

"Yeah, Lisa what is it?" She said mid reach for her desk phone. Her heart had been pounding a mile a minute and Lisa had scared her. She hadn't even heard the girl knock!

"Your 3' o clock is here. They're waiting in conference room two." She announced before closing Vicki's door again. _That guy must have been very good cause I've never seen her this unfocused before_, Lisa thought to herself as she made her way back to her desk.

Vicki sighed before heading to her next meeting. Her sexy, drop-dead gorgeous, blue-eyed detective would just have to wait. That's what she was thinking to herself before practically diving over her desk to reach for the phone and dialing Flack's cell phone number.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Flack had set out for work early that day knowing that he would need some time to himself and a lot of coffee before he would be able to not think about Vicki when he needed to. He had never had such a good time with anyone else in his life. He laughed when he remembered their conversation, her shy smile when she got excited over her favorite music, her laugh. Just about everything from that night seemed to be perfect. He smiled to himself as he remembered the look in her eyes when they had parted from their first kiss. Then the little treat she gave him before they parted for the night. He found himself almost blushing when getting teased by his CSI best friend Detective Danny Messer.

"Yo! Flack, what's with the stars in ya eyes? Some girl show ya a good time?" He had said in his thick New Yorker accent later that morning at the first murder scene of the day while putting on a pair of gloves. He had given Danny an "I'm gonna kill you later" glare but got a chance to laugh in revenge as Danny's girlfriend and partner Detective Lindsay Monroe gave him an elbow in the ribs before proceeding to the crime scene.

It had been a hard morning but it had eventually calmed down. He didn't know what was with people in the city anymore, there had been 3 murders one right after the other. He didn't get a chance to breathe until that afternoon. The CSI's got a chance to do their scientific stuff and he got a chance to get some paper work done. It had been a long day at the office. Luckily for him he could hide behind his desk in paper work avoiding any other funny comments about his dreamy mood from his cop buddies around him.

He had stopped filling out paper work and look towards his phone to give his eyes a break. The words were starting to swim and he had to be careful not to write the same thing over again. He tried to will the phone to ring. He wondered if his green-eyed beauty would call. He'd love to take her out again, maybe not that night but certainly again and soon. He couldn't wait to see her smiling lips greet him. He smiled again with fondness but quickly went back to work seeing his boss walk by. God, if she didn't call him soon he knew he was going to get caught daydreaming.

He was loosing hope as he saw that it was 4' o clock and he was already thinking that she would never call him and he'd still be lonely as it was already late afternoon and soon he'd be heading home alone again. That's when he jumped feeling his phone vibrating on his hip. He hoped that it was her when he didn't recognize the number. His heart was pounding in his throat as he barely said the word "Hello!"

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Vicki dialed his cell number on the card and waited as she heard it ring. She couldn't believe she was going to do this. In a bar, she had never been picked-up by a guy and most that tried had been halfway in the bag ready to pass out or she could tell that it would fruitless for her to get involved. Still there was something about this Detective that she felt she had to get to know. She thought that her heart had stopped when she heard his sexy voice say "Hello!" into her ear.

She smiled as she said "Hey, scoundrel! Its Vicki! Do you remember me?" She couldn't believe she was acting so bold! Maybe it was just what he brought out of her. She heard his throaty chuckle on the other side of the phone and her already obvious smile got even bigger as she got chills that traveled down her spine. She wondered how long she would be this happy. _Don't be so damn negative, Vicki! _She scolded herself as she listen to Flack's words over the other line.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Flack chuckled over the phone as he heard her call him scoundrel. He couldn't believe though that she would question whether or not he remembered her! _How could any self-respecting guy not remember a girl like you?_ Flack thought to himself. He could of sworn however that he could hear her smile in her voice right over the phone.

"Of course I remember you! I'm glad that you called I've been wondering if you wanted to go on a date with me so that we can get to know each other the proper way!" He hoped that she wanted to get to know him better too. His heart was pounding in his chest listening to her respond.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

Vicki's heart pounded even harder inside her chest if that was at all possible. "I'm glad I called too. But I'm sorry I can't talk about the date thing right now because I have some clients waiting for me in a conference room that I have to go baby sit for an hour or so. Can I call you back then? I really just called to make sure you didn't think I wasn't interested… and I'm rambling and I can see my secretary waving at me to hurry up so I'll call you back ok?"

She waited for his response. Somehow this became so much more important than the work that was waiting for her. She never ever wanted to let a guy be more important than her career but somehow he just got that deep into her skin.

--------------------_Gentleman vs. Scoundrel_--------------------

"I'm interested, too." Flack told her through a smile that he just couldn't hide. He was gonna get cute again. "Sure you can call me when your not such a busy woman and Vicki?" he waited for her patient "Uh huh?" over the phone. "I like you," was all that he said.

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She smiled so big that she wondered if her cheeks could break. "I like you, too. I'll call you when I get away from work long enough to think clearly. Bye!" She said in a rush. She waited for his "Bye!" before she hung up the phone and ran to the conference room apologizing to her clients telling them that there was a quick phone call that she had to make. Yet her smile was so infectious that they quickly forgot about everything as she confidently set to work at going about the meeting.

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Flack had the cutest grin on his face as he put his cell back on his hip. He looked back down at his paper work and sighed the rest of the day would be extremely long and dull, as he would await her phone call later that evening.

He was even told by his boss as he put on his coat to go home that he looked like a sick love puppy. What was he going to do? He wasn't going to be able to work like this with his daily thoughts consumed with Vicki and seeing her. Then he smacked himself on the forehead. Maybe if he were to catch her before she ate they would be able to have dinner together. He ran out of the office nearly bowling over some of the officers as he got into his car. He called the only number that he had of hers. He wondered what number it was and hoped that she would be at the other end.

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Lucky for him however that even though it was her office number since she was out of the office for that day all of her calls would be immediately transferred to her cell. Just incase it was emergency or if it was one of her clients.

Vicki had just walked into her apartment when her cell phone began to ring. She saw that it was Flack's number seeing it on the card many times. She hurriedly put everything down on the floor. Janel saw that she was home and ran into the living room to greet her when she saw the curious look on her face when she picked up her cell phone.

"Hello?" was what she said.

She heard Flack's voice on the other end. "Hey Vicki, its Don, have you eaten yet?" He questioned her on the other end praying to God and many saints that she hadn't because he really wanted to see her.

"No not yet. I was about to with my girlfriends we usually eat dinner together. Why?" She smiled into the phone as she eyed her best friend from across the room. Janel knew immediately whom she was talking to.

"Oh I was just wondering if you wanted to go grab something to eat. Nothing fancy just a relaxing after work dinner. So how about it?" He hoped she would say yes.

"One second Flack" She told him as she put the phone down on the coffee table and ran over to Janel. Her other friends poked their heads out from the kitchen into the living room.

"Oh my God! Flack is on the phone and he asked me to dinner. I've never missed dinner with you guys what do I do?" She questioned Janel while holding on to hands for dear life. She had surprised herself throughout the years as they had all become her main support system in her life. Janel wasn't fast enough though as Teresa gave the response on everybody's mind.

"Don't worry about us and go to dinner with the hot detective, duh!" She added the duh at the end to make everybody laugh. Vicki ran to the phone almost knocking the coffee table over.

"Don?" She said breathless waiting to get his attention. "I'd love to go to dinner with you." She said with a smile.

He smiled and thanked everyone he had prayed to. "Ok! I'll see you at your apartment in ten minutes." He told her before hanging up the phone.

As soon as he hung up the Vicki began to rush around the apartment grabbing a sexier pair of shoes than her usual work power pumps and began to fix her hair and make up with lightning speed. All of her girlfriends laughed at her. In all the time that they had all been in New York City together they had never seen her be this excited or this crazy for any guy. They looked at each other with a knowing glance hoping that this guy would be good for her and that he wouldn't let her down because if he did they all had the same worry that she might not open up to any guy ever again.

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A/N: Ok! That's it for another chapter! Its weird I didn't know where that chapter would end but I think that this is good!! Don't want to give it away all in one shot and this way I keep you guys wondering what's going to happen . I feel so accomplished!! Yay!!


	3. Their First Date

Disclaimers: CSI: NY characters are too brilliant to be my own don't own them. Any characters you don't recognize are mine .

A/N: I decided not to keep you all waiting and just rolled right into the third chapter which is fine for me cause I already have some sort of an idea of where its going to go. Sometimes wat I write is so spur of the moment I never know what I'm going to think of! But I hope you like it!!!

Thanks to Forest Angel and Raven4129 for reviewing!!!! I LOVE YOU READERS!!!

AND NOW ON WITH THE SHOW!!!!

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Vicki practically sprinted out of the door to her apartment and ran down the stairs. She didn't know however that her best friends were close behind her. They wanted to see this so called detective. From what Janel had told them he seemed to be more than the average guy. He seemed to be absolutely perfect.

Vicki hadn't even noticed them practically barrel down the stairs like a bunch of elephants behind her or she would have told them to promptly go back upstairs. This was definitely not a night for him to meet them. However as she saw him get up from leaning against his car to greet her she couldn't hear any of the talk and giggles as she opened the door. All she could see was Don waiting for her.

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Flack had arrived there within ten minutes and had enough time to make sure he looked good leaning against his car for when she opened the door to her apartment house. He had loosened up his tie and had the collar open. He looked relaxed but still good he thought as he looked at himself in car mirror for the tenth time until he heard the door to the apartment house open. He looked over and almost thought he couldn't breathe.

She had on a big smile and her green eyes twinkled with something neither knew what to say with what just yet. She had on a black pin-stripe skirt suit that showed her curves and a v-neck green camisole that made her eyes pop out. Flack also noticed that she must have fixed herself up a little for him because he noticed her looking not so ready for work but for after work.

They walked into each other's arms and hugged. Vicki breathed in his scent and wondered if this is what bliss was really like. She felt him smile into her hair before they pulled apart. Their eyes sparkled at one another. They leaned in about to kiss one another when they heard an "ahem" from behind them. They turned around to see all of her girlfriends on the stairs laughing at them. She groaned in embarrassment. She was afraid of where this was going. He was so not ready to meet them yet.

Janel was hiding her giggles behind a smile while giving them a wave. Jojo and Teresa were less subdued as they had a hard time not laughing out loud while whispering probably something of a sexual nature about the new couple while Rama gave them a friendly smile while trying to subdue Teresa and Jojo. It was hard for them to resist embarrassing her because this was just them trying to make sure he was ok. After all, her family wasn't here so they were the best thing and its not like they haven't checked out the guys she's dated before but they've never had the chance to be the first to meet him and truly like her true friends embarrass her.

Rama was the first to speak. She was more of the mother hen of the group. "Hi! I'm Vicki's best friend Rama. I see you're here to take her out?" She questioned. You could always tell that she had that mother's judgemental look behind her eyes. Nothing was good enough for her girls.

"Hi! I'm Detective Don Flack and please call me Don. And yes I'm taking her out to dinner." He gave her a charming smile but she wouldn't be led astray by his charms.

"I'm Teresa and I'm also her best friend."

"I'm Janel! I'm her best friend too!"

"And me too I'm Jojo!"

One by one the rest introduced themselves throwing Rama off the hunt. Vicki bade them goodbye and told them she'd be home late. They all knew that they'd be waiting up for her no matter what time it was. They watched with approving smiles as Don helped her into the car and as Don got into the car he flashed them a trademark smile and a nod of his head while all of the girls said in unison "Bye Don!" It was so loud that they received several stares from people on the streets and even more stares as they burst out laughing. They were completely unaware of the deep red blush that crawled into Vicki's cheeks as she sent them glares of death. She heard Teresa mumble something that sounded a lot like "now that's what I call New York's finest" before they started up their laughing again. She had to turn away from watching them because if she didn't she'd probably get out of the car and smack them even though she'd be promptly slapped back.

As they drove away Vicki covered her face with her hands and sunk down into her seat. They couldn't have been worse even if she'd paid them money but she must say that she loved them with all her heart.

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Flack drove off trying to hide his amusement in the situation. Her friends seemed like fantastic people. They all looked like they trusted each other completely and that there was a mysterious bond between the five of them that he knew he would never understand. Then he was snapped out of his reverie when he heard Vicki's pained groan.

He looked to her and smiled as they came to a red light. She peeked a little from behind her hands with a look of utter mortification and saw nothing but his smiling face not looking like he was about to run off and say something along the lines of I don't think with friends like those that this could work out. No, he just had an extremely charming smile on his face that not only made her smile too but it made her heart beat faster.

"So what did you think of my girls?" Vicki ventured to say. Finally coming out from behind her hands.

"They're really nice. I'm glad I got to meet them. But I'm even happier that they make you happy." He turned back to the road with a peaceful grin on his face. The light turned green.

"Yup they're my girls. I can't live with them sometimes but I definitely couldn't live without seeing them in my day." She said as she looked out the window with a faint smile of memories on her lips.

The silence had once again grown comfortable between them but as they came to what Don was familiar with being a rather long red light he decided with a rather mischievous glint in his eyes to have some fun. He saw her looking out the window and said "Hey" to get her attention.

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Vicki had been inside her mind thinking of her friends and how she loved her life at the moment when she heard Don's voice call out a hey to her in a very husky voice. When she turned around to face him she didn't realize how close his face had gotten and a light blush had crept to her cheeks seeing the very hungry look in his eyes before she felt his lips gently caress her own.

Her eyes fluttered shut and she sighed as she brought her hand from across the seat to tangle into his hair. She felt his hand snake around her waist and the warmth coming from it that pulsed into her body made her shiver. He was about to deepen the kiss into her waiting and willing mouth when a car honked rather loudly behind them.

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Don watched as Vicki turned her head to face him. He had to use all of his will power not to assault her lips. The hunger he felt must have been evident on his face as he saw her eyes met his and the slight rather sexy blush rise to her cheeks. He approached her with caution trying to not take whatever this was between them too fast but all he had been able to do since they parted the night before was think of her and those lips that were caressing his own. 

He wasn't prepared for the hand that wove its way into his hair and gently massaged his skull. If he had been a cat he probably would've purred. _What is she doing to me_, he thought to himself. He was about to deepen the kiss but was kicked out of paradise when a car honked behind them. He broke away from her both of them breathing rather hard.

"Shit." He said out loud as he looked to the traffic light and saw that it was green. "Hold that thought." He said to her with a grin as he made a move to pull over letting the people drive past him.

He waited for the cursing drivers to pass him before he turn back to Vicki. They both looked at each other for a mere second before his lips were upon hers again only this time with a fierce hunger. Her hand found its way back into his hair. His hand was back onto her waist and his other went against the window so that he didn't squash her. He then heard the rumbling of his stomach. _Damn body._

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Vicki thought that she would whimper with sadness when Don pulled away. _There's no way I could need a guy this much_, she thought. Then again, she never thought that she'd meet a guy like this before. She waited with patience she didn't think she possessed as she watched him pull over the car and wait for the rude people to drive away. He turned back to her and she merely had a second to take in his eyes before his lips were on hers again with a force that made something deep inside of her quiver as his and her hand found their perspective positions again.

_Oh Lord, what am I getting myself into?_ She had all these thoughts and plans of really making it in society and being extremely successful before something like this relationship fell into her life. _Oh well_.

She laughed into their kisses when she heard Flack's stomach growl. It wasn't long before hers did too.

"Weren't…we…supposed…to…go…to dinner?" Vicki questioned to Flack in between kisses not wanting to stop kissing him. She had roamed her way down to his neck smirking against his skin when she felt him having to gulp several times and growled before he was able to give a coherent answer.

"Well…um…yeah…heh…seeing as how we both sound hungry…" He tried to make a move but Vicki only seemed to pull him closer. He couldn't really do anything about it since she had a hand in his hair and the other had gone without his noticing to grab at the lapels of his jacket and coat.

Their lips roamed over each other's neck and faces before finally reaching their lips again. They kissed each other for what seemed like an eternity more before finally breaking apart. "So where are you taking me?" Vicki questioned him with a satisfied grin as she noticed the several red marks along Don's jaw and neck began to appear. She could get used to this.

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Flack had gone back to being behind the wheel and looked in the rear view mirror feigning that he was looking at the traffic behind him of which there was none. Actually he was looking at the lovely set of bite marks that were forming along his jaw and neck. _Oh joy! Something else for the boys at work to laugh at me about_, he thought to himself. _Eh, it's worth it_. He smiled in his mind as he gave Vicki his prepared answer. "It's a surprise!" He told her with a mischievous grin.

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Vicki didn't like that grin one bit. She figured there was nothing for her to really worry about. She liked surprises anyway. _Time for me to start sitting back and relaxing_, she thought contently as she adjusted her clothing and settled in for the ride. As long as it was Flack he could take her anywhere.

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It seemed like it didn't take long before they arrived in front of a quaint little diner. It looked like one of those places where only the people who really lived in the city would know about. Vicki observed as she waited for Flack to come to the other side and open her door. They smiled contently to each other as Flack opened the door to the diner for her and received a very flirty thank you from Vicki.

Flack put a hand at the small of her back and guided her to one of the booths toward one end of the diner where there weren't a lot of people. A great place to just sit and talk to someone.

"Wow this seems like a nice place. And you just walked right in?" Vicki questioned Flack with a grin.

Flack grinned right back at her. "Well ya they know me here." He replied with a chuckle. A very old waitress came with their menus. She had a short salt and pepper hair do and a friendly smile.

"Now Flack why don't I see you around here anymore?! Ya no I'm used to having the badges around keeps away the riffraff!" She questioned slapping Flacks shoulder playfully.

He gave her a grin and the usual "Well, Margie, ya no," just enough to get her to forgive him but not enough to give the secrets of his job, that he had to keep, away. This seemed to satisfy the waitress who Vicki came to know as Margie. Vicki now felt Margie's stare on her.

"And who is this lovely girl that you brought here? Not a detective surely. She has more a dreamy look than an inquisitive look." Boy could Margie's eyes see right through her. Flack gave her a warm glance before introducing her. 

"Margie, I would like you to meet my new girl Vicki. Vicki this is Margie. But please don't tell the guys! I want to keep her to myself before feeding her to the wolves."

"What do I look like raw meat?" Vicki questioned to Flack before taking Margie's offered hand and shook it saying hi. The comment had made Margie laugh out loud.

"Don't worry Donnie she'll fit right in. Haha, but I'll let you keep her a secret for now. I'll be back in a bit for your orders. But before I go back to my duties, anything to drink?" Margie gave them a warm smile as she took out a pen and check pad. Don had visibly winced when Margie had called him Donnie. This hadn't gone unnoticed.

"I'll have the usual Margie. What about you, Vicki?"

"I'll just have a Coke, thanks." Vicki offered with a friendly grin as Margie patted Don's shoulder and gave Vicki another friendly smile before walking away to get their drinks. "So… Donnie, huh?" Vicki picked up one of the menus acting as casually as possible but looked over the menu to see his reaction.

Vicki giggled as she watched Flack's pained reaction as he leaned forward as if telling her a secret. "I don't really like being called Donnie but she's one of the few people I let get away with it…like my mother." They separated, as their drinks were set in front of them. Margie gave them a knowing smile before walking away.

"Can I call you Donnie?" Vicki said as she ran a foot up and down the inside of Don's leg. She giggled as she saw his face pale and he took a very big gulp of diet coke. Then he put on a very serious face. Before being able to answer her. All the while, Vicki had on a very flirty grin.

"No and please stop doing that!" He looked serious but the look in his eyes betrayed his words.

"Fine!" Vicki pouted making her big pouty bottom lip even bigger and Don almost regretted the fact that his body needed food cause he was starting to want her mouth on his again instead. He watched Vicki rise from her seat and walk up beside him. "Then I'll just have to think of something else to call you." She smiled and bit her lip as she walked away. He turned around and watched her sashay her way to the ladies room and he groaned and put his head in his hands cursing the rest of his body for needing food as his pants had come to be extremely uncomfortable.

"Boy she's done a real number on you!" Margie grinned from behind the counter as she filled more glasses with drink orders took them to the other side of the diner and then sat down on the stool in front of him. She laughed as she noticed the love- sick puppy look.

"Ya think??" He asked his New Yorker accent thick. He took another look at the menu hoping it could tell him how he was going to regain control of himself. It had only been the start of their dinner date and she already had him wrapped around her finger. This girl was almost too much for him to handle. It had been a long time since he had even met a girl that could challenge him. Even then those girls always turned out to be friends. Now she was something more and he was doubting his so called excellent abilities. He was however as he decided in him mind not going to give up without a fight. He took another drink to cool his nerves and something else.

Margie laughed some more at Don's expense as he turned his attention towards the ladies room door that had just swung open and watched as his eyes went wide as the saucy green-eyed brunette walked her way back to their booth. They stared at each other intently, Don wide-eyed and his mouth hanging open slightly and Vicki with a proud grin and a twinkle in her eyes. Margie cleared her throat to make her known to the couple. "Are you guys ready to order? Oh and Donnie you can pick your jaw up from off the floor now." She giggled to herself taking out her pen and pad once again as Don closed his mouth and shook his head while picking up the menu in front of him to look.

Vicki had to contain her laughter as she looked at the menu once more before looking back up at Margie. "I'd like a bowl of beef stew and a side of mashed potatoes, no gravy. I would also like a salad with oil and vinegar. Please and thank you" She said to Margie with a smile and a chuckle. Margie turned to Don who was still looking at his menu feigning that he was actually trying to decide what he was going to eat they knew exactly what he was going to have.

"I'll have the chicken potpie and a salad with ranch dressing, please Margie." He said with a smirk.

"Mhm…just like always." Margie said the last part under her breath before walking away to the kitchens leaving the couple alone once again.

"So what was it like for you growing up?" Vicki said as she smiled at Don and put her hands under her chin. Oh no, she wasn't going to get to him again Don thought as he watched her. He put his one arm on the back of the booth looking relaxed and confident as he answered her.

"Ah, you know growing up around the city. You get into trouble around the neighborhood. Hit a few baseballs into neighbors' windows. I took more to basketball myself. Ran around got into trouble. Fooled around in high school. Then I got shipped off to the Police Academy by my father not that I minded. Just the usual…" He looked out of the window to the city for a second with a dreamy look on his face before turning back to Vicki. "What about you?" As Don said this Margie placed both their salads in from of them with a smile and then walked away.

She smiled before sitting back up and getting not only a nostalgic look on her face but it twinged slightly of sadness before getting the usual faintness of nostalgic happiness in it. "Well I grew up in Jersey just outside the city. It was my skyline though I don't know what its like growing up here. Still my childhood was a bit sad in the beginning. My mom didn't let me play with a lot of the kids in my class and there weren't kids on my block and a lot of old people lived on my block actually. Mom didn't let my brother and I walk around town much either. A lot of the girls I did make friends with eventually found other friends and life got kind of lonely. It didn't help either that a lot of my family was old or that a lot of my closest friends who were my family passed away on me like my dog and my grandfather. It wasn't until seventh grade did I finally meet Janel, Jojo and Rama. Thank God for them. I don't know what I would've done. Finally High School, I went to a high school away from my town. I made so many friends I didn't know what to do with them all and that's when I met Teresa and she became attached to my hip like the other three. They really did save me from myself." She said with almost a teary smile. She didn't realize that Don had taken her hand and had looked at her with a worried expression until she came out of her memories. He rubbed her hand with his thumb and had a questioning look in his eyes. "Sorry I don't know why I said that! Haha. Its more than I'm sure you wanted to hear on the first date." She gave a nervous chuckle and cleared her throat of the lump that had grown there and thanked the heavens that Margie came back and replaced their empty drinks.

"I remember when my goldfish Goldie died. I was six. I think my mom even made my dad have a little funeral for it before we flushed it down the toilet. We were all standing around the toilet dressed in black and all I could think was 'I hope I get to change out of this suit so that I can go play with the guys soon.'" He looked up from their joined hands and met her green eyes. They were shimmering in the lights and his own were twinkling at her. She laughed and broke away his hold on her hand as she wiped away the tear that had spilled over with her napkin and she continued to laugh.

"I hope I don't have that kind of send off when I die." They both laughed and grabbed each other's hands again. Neither could believe how comfortable they had gotten with one another.

"I'm sorry life has been so tuff on you." He looked so sincere Vicki wondered where this guy had been hiding.

"Well I can't say that it's the worst. I mean there are people worse off than me. I bet life must be hard on you being a detective and all."

"Yeah…" Don didn't give much a response as he looked towards the window again with an almost scary distant look on his face and his jaw worked as the thoughts raced through his mind of that fateful day. He was brought back to the present as Vicki squeezed his hand.

"Did something happen to you while on duty? You can tell me. Please." She added the please with reassurance and conviction. After all, she had revealed her past to him with an ease that he should be able to. Still he didn't want to scare her with just one of the many risks of his job that he was unfortunately used to.

"I know I can and I will but lets save that for another day. We are supposed to be relaxing after all." He said with a smile that seemed to ease her worry for now as- luckily for Don- the food finally came to the table. They ate peacefully sharing casual conversation and trying each other's food. Vicki raved about the chicken potpie and Don told her that the beef stew was going to be his new usual.

They continued to chat after Margie came and cleared their dishes. They continued their conversation, it being all about their favorite things. Flack was shocked that Vickie not only shared his love of 80's action flicks but also of old comedies like Stripes and Caddy Shack. They also loved comedians like Robin Williams and Eddie Murphy when they did stand up. They also shared tastes in music though not completely the same. Vicki tended to go towards the more psychedelic soft bluesy and folk type of classic rock where as Don while liking and knowing that part of classic rock stayed towards the more manly side of classic rock, like AC/DC and Def Leppard. Some of their many interests and hobbies were different from one another as well. Vicki couldn't understand his obsession with basketball, the Giants or the Rangers and Don disagreed completely with her love for the Eagles and the Devils. They had gotten into an argument about whose hockey team was better Devils or the Rangers, of which Don was impressed that she knew so much about hockey and sports in general, when Margie came to the table.

"Is there anything else I can get you guys?" She smiled down at the couple as both had risen up from there seats so that they could get into each other's faces as they argued. They sat back down and looked to Margie both still annoyed at the other.

"Nothing Margie thanks and you can put it on my tab." Don said to her and she was about to walk away when Vicki spoke up. She just got a brilliant idea.

"I'll have two scoops of chocolate ice cream with a cherry on top please!" Margie walked away and Vicki glared at Don before turning away with a devilish grin on her face: now's the time to get even. They glared at each other for a little while longer and Vicki stuck her tongue out at him when Margie set down the dessert in front of her. Don had to hide his laughter so that he didn't give up their argument but he couldn't help it she looked like she was a little kid and too cute for her own good. He gulped however as he watched her expression turned from very stubborn and willful to seductive and sexy at the drop of a hat. "Ya no Don I think its very unfortunate that you chose to pick an argument with me because I can be _very_ persuasive and I just don't know if you'll get the good night kiss you're thinking of tonight." Her voice was husky and low as he watched her swirl the cherry around in the chocolate ice cream. His mouth went completely dry as the cherry touched her lips before she bit down on it and pulled the stem out. She licked her lips and twirled the offending cherries stem between her thumb and fore finger as she moaned in delight and ate the cherry.

"Nah uh you're not making me admit that the Devil's are better than the Rangers. NO not ever!" He said with all the conviction that he possessed but a guy could only suffer like this for so long and Vicki was not done yet. She picked up the spoon that lay next to the cup of ice cream. She scooped up a spoon full and put it into her mouth. She didn't eat it all on the first try. Nope she let some of the ice cream melt onto her lips before putting the rest into her mouth backside of the spoon up and pulling the spoon out. She licked the spoon and her lips very slowly. All the while slowly running her foot up and down Don's leg again. She did this several more times until she couldn't eat any more ice cream. She noticed that Don has begun to get very uncomfortable and fidget in his seat. Good for her that he was such a loyal guy though.

Don lost his focus however as Vicki reached down with a finger and got it covered in the chocolate cream and stuck it in her mouth and she began to wipe it clean swirling her tongue around it when Don gave in. "OK OK you win!!! I'm sorry the Devil's are better than the Rangers!!!" His pained expression was enough to satisfy Vicki as she gave the one word response of "Ok!"

She sat there happy and Don sat there sexually frustrated his pants painfully tight. Don quickly threw on his coat handed Margie his usual more than necessary tip and rushed back to Vicki helping her out of the booth before rushing her out of the diner.

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Vicki felt the cool air around her and breathed a sigh. "Ya know I…" She began to say as she turned towards Flack and let out a yelp of surprise but then let out another sigh as Don's lips crashed with bruising force against her own. She kissed back with equal fervor and melted into his embrace as his arms encircled around her body and her hands rested on his chest. The kiss softened until Don broke it his arms still around her and his forehead resting gently on hers. He had to put her back down on the ground a little however because he was after all 6'2'' and she was wonderfully small to him at a cute 5' 4''. She was back on terra firma again when she took a second and several gulps of air and she felt his breath on her skin, the warmth of it sending chills to her body and goose bumps to her skin. My oh my was this whole thing glorious.

"Mmmm, tastes like cherries and chocolate." He said as they looked into each other's eyes both smiling. They cracked into jovial laughter as they parted Don taking her hand.

"I was just going to say that I liked this. I really needed it. I was so stressed out at work today because of you." She said with a lopsided grin. She was glad that he had held her for that short period of time after their kiss. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to stand.

"Me too. I just had to see you, which is why I asked you to dinner. I hope your friends don't mind that I stole you from them." He said with a cheeky grin.

Vicki chuckled evilly. "I frankly don't care if they did mind. But don't worry they don't." Don casually swung their hands back and forth as they began walking towards his car. "Where are you taking me now?"

Don gave her grin before responding "My place." Vicki wasn't sure what to make of their relationship and to her his apartment seemed a little risky. He must have seen her uncertainty in her face as he helped her into his car. Don waited until he got into his side before responding. "Don't worry I promise nothing serious will happen unless you want it to." He gave her a reassuring smile as he started the car. He was satisfied as he saw her face lightened and they began there way back towards his apartment.

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When they got there Vicki was surprised that it was not that far off from her apartment. He opened the door to his car and let her out. She waited patiently as he locked up the car and then with a "Shall we?" He guided her up to his apartment. They went to the fifth floor of the apartment building and found his door with ease. Vicki however made sure she remembered it precisely. It could come in handy later. Vicki waited as Don opened the many locks on the door before letting her make her way into the space.

She almost gasped, as it looked homey and welcoming. It certainly wasn't what she had expected. She had seen her fair share of guys' apartments and seeing them made her promptly break away from the relationships on a run. But no this was…perfect. It was Don as she looked around. Manly art posters of sports and other things hung sporadically around the apartment. The living room had a big entertainment center of course with plenty of DVD's and a vast CD collection that rivaled her own.

The masculine furniture was done in a dark red wood of which she was shocked they shared a love for only her furniture would obviously be more intricate and feminine. The couches and chairs were big and cushy, good for game watching and relaxing. The kitchen was open and airy and the cabinets didn't have doors so that you could very easily see inside. She laughed at herself knowingly as like with any guy there were still dishes in the sink. It wasn't her tastes and it wasn't her apartment but it was definitely a pleasant place to be.

She came to the foot of the bedroom looking around observing the well-lived-in comfort in it when Don's arms enveloped her from behind. She sighed loving the warmth and comfort that was not only evident in the apartment but in the strength of his arms. She could definitely get used to this. He smiled against her hair and kissed it. They stood there looking at his bedroom in comfortable silence for a few moments before he turned her around. He kissed her chastely on the lips.

"You can go sit in the living room and I'll get us a couple of drinks and we can sit around and talk more about stuff." He steered her down the hall towards the place he had just said. She was so happy she almost floated when she walked. She sat herself down on one of the couches getting comfy taking off her shoes. "I hope beer is ok?" He questioned her. He would've stocked up on his empty alcohol reserves but this stop had been unexpected. It just seemed so natural to see her in his apartment.

"Beer's great." She confirmed with a grin as he handed her the bottle. He took a seat down next to her and put his arm around the back of the couch so that he could focus on her. They clinked bottles and took a swig. "So…" Vicki started unsure of what they were going to talk about. She was perfectly fine to just be there with him.

"What's it like working as an Assistant Creative Director? I've never really gotten a chance to date someone who didn't have a job revolving around my field." Don's eye's glittered at her with the possibilities of them as he smiled.

"Well its not a picnic believe me! I have to oversee all of the details of an ad campaign, a commercial, the building of a billboard and the like before they can even be put in the hands of the Creative Director and if its not perfect then its my fault and my ass is on the line to the whole mess of unqualified, unprofessional jerks that call themselves graphic designers below me and my team. Then I have baby sit our oh half dozen clients at a time every day and inform them of our progress while we make decisions about content and color that they can never decide on and leave me and my fantastic team to have another set of all-nighters finding out how we can make the damn thing aesthetically pleasing and meet the client's wants while maintaining our graphic design standard. And when it finally comes down to presenting it to the president of the firm I can be present for the meeting to explain what the Creative Director doesn't bother to learn about that makes the advertisement work and _they_ get credit for the entire thing and not me when I'm the one that made the whole thing happen in the first place." She got a very bitter look on her face before brightening when she looked back at him. He had interlaced his fingers with those of her own hand that lay near his leg. One leg was folded up on the couch and the other hung carelessly over the side. She noticed pleasantly that she had his undivided attention.

"It sounds like the job's very competitive and very hard on you." Don rubbed his thumb on her hand as he looked into her eyes. The more she talked about her job the more exhausted she seemed. At that moment all he'd like to do is to take her away from it and let her sleep for an eternity. She saw his pained expression and leaned in to kiss his lips. It was a sweet long kiss that meant just how it felt. It was meant to comfort. Her hand found her way to rest on his neck and his arm came from the back of the couch to embrace her. They sat like that until they needed air.

"It's a thankless, annoying and stressful job of which I am very proud and very fond of." She said breathlessly as they broke away. "What about you do you like your job?" She asked him as she laid her head on his chest. She felt him tense up beneath her and looked up into Don's eyes to see a turmoil that he had spent too much time trying to hide from her making it all the more evident. She met his eyes with a seriousness she'd hope that he could see. "Look I can see that there's something about your job that makes you uncomfortable. Please tell me what it is. I'm here for you and I don't want it to bother you anymore please let me know what it is!" She pleaded with him. She didn't want him to suffer by himself. That was no way to live.

She watched the gears in his mind work behind his blue eyes before he came to a decision. "I want us to become more comfortable with each other before I tell you what it is that's really bothering me. Other than that part I love my job and catching the bad guys and I want you to know to but this is just something that I need to deal with and am still dealing with before I let someone else in. Its not you its just how I deal with things. " She was about to object further before his mouth connected with hers. His back up plan to distract her from his issues worked as she sighed and kissed him back with a ferocious hunger that he could only moan and feed off of.

He pulled her close and lay down until they were horizontal. Her body was lying pleasantly flush against his. Vicki's hands had ran all around like mad between weaving their way through his hair, down his neck and over his shoulders. They finally found themselves home in his hair just behind his ears. Her fingertips rested on the back of his head and pleasantly massaged it. As far as Don was concerned he was putty in her hands.

The same could be said for Vicki. His hands had rubbed all around her hips waist and back before one hand weaved its way into her hair and the other wrapped around her body to embrace her. They let go of each other only for a second as Don took off his jacket and tie and loosened up some more buttons on his shirt and Vicki took off her jacket. It had gotten surprisingly hot in the apartment. Their lips met hotly again as their mouths performed a delicious battle between one another. Don's hands roamed before finding their respective places and Vicki instead of burying themselves in his hair found their way to the hot skin that lay beneath his shirt and she smiled into their kisses as she heard him growl in his throat.

They made out for what seemed like forever on that couch. Vicki finally pulled away to sit up and threw back on her jacket. "I had a nice time." She said to him as he rose from his position on his back. He looked at her dumbly saying something that only a typical guy would say.

"Who says that the date has to end?" He watched Vicki put on her shoes and grab her purse before walking over and leaning down to kiss him. He tried to kiss her further than she intended but she mewed and pulled back before walking towards the door. He got up and jogged towards her and opened it. Almost on autopilot highly confused. She loved the way his lips were pouted from their kissed and how he had a sexy sweat form on his brow with blue eyes wide and shimmering.

"I do because I like it just like this for now. Call me tomorrow and we'll go out again soon." She promised to him before kissing him deeply on the lips once more. It was a short kiss but promised for something to come. Don opened the door. She smiled as she walked out and didn't look back as she walked down the stairs and out the door. All Don could think of was how he loved the way her hair was tossed from all the times he ran his hands through it, how her green eyes glittered as they looked into him, also how her lips had looked all red and bitten, and how her hips swayed back and forth as she walked down the stairs and out the door. These were his thoughts as he lay down to go to bed that night not so innocent dreams of her and him deliciously in his sleep.

Little did he know that after Vicki got home and stayed up for the next hour after she arrived home to explain the marvelous night to her friends who gushed and cooed along with her story, she settled between her own sheets thoughts consumed of Don.


	4. You Make Me Happy When Skies Are Grey

A/N: Hey, I'm updating again! Sorry if this took longer than expected I had problems wondering where to take this, but now I've got it, so here it goes. HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!!

THANKS to Forest Angel, Raven4129, kaitlyn143, and Sunny3886 for reviewing I LOVE YOU, READERS!!!

And now the saga continues…

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

It had gone on like that for several weeks. Don and Vicki would see each other whenever they could. They got to know each other and had gotten quite close. Every time they got together Vicki would tease Don to the point of driving him mad. It only added fuel to the fire. Although both of them could tell that there was a whole other level present that neither one could crack the mysterious vault to.

Don was having trouble with other things. Work was getting tougher for him. Memories, that he tried his damnedest to suppress for fear of having a break down, struck him in the gut and made him sick at the worst times. It didn't take much for this to happen either; if the crime scene was gruesome enough it was torture. Everyone, even Danny his best friend, was questioning his abilities. It got worse when he made minute mistakes that would affect the cases he was involved in. And he didn't make rookie mistakes ever, even when he was a rookie himself.

It had been a hard week for him even though he had talked to Vicki every day for the most part. Even when they didn't talk she would leave him cute voicemails on his cell phone. However, whenever he talked she could see right through him, or rather hear right through his voice and tried to pry the truth out of him. He would never budge. She had gotten angry while on the phone with him that night and he didn't expect that of her. Through one of their long four-hour phone conversations he had learned that she was Italian, German, and English. He always knew that those kinds of women had short fuses, but he didn't know how short. She had said a whole bunch of things to him, he didn't dare recall, and hung up on him in a fit. Never in his life had someone done that to him. He didn't like it, but he didn't mind it either. If he had only been there in person he could've seen the cute face she makes when she is angry.

So that's how she left him that Friday night. He was sprawled out on his couch with the TV muted on some game he didn't care about anymore as he nursed a beer. _One of many_, he thought sarcastically to himself as he took another sip. It was going to be one of those nights- nights that were occurring more frequently and not for the better. He wanted to reach for his prescription of pain medication but was fully aware that medication and alcohol never mix. He realized as he stared at the orange bottle that the pills had become quite understanding. They were always there for him even when he didn't feel any pain and just needed them. The beer, however, was doing its job well enough.

But now he had Vicki. Shouldn't his life be changing? Shouldn't he be hanging out with her every chance he got and falling in love with her? He liked her a hell of a lot but he had no idea if these feelings were love, yet he had a hunch. He had a hunch it was the same for her as well. He looked from the top of his beer to the window outside. It was pouring outside. It fit his mood.

Life had been surprisingly good for him and he had Vicki now. His horrible experience was ruining everything. Most importantly it was ruining what he had with her. The more he thought about it the more those memories came back to him. He was suffocating in his apartment. The feeling was worse now that he had gotten into a fight over the phone with her or rather she had screamed and he had nothing to do except listen. _I need to get out_. That was the last thing he thought as he grabbed and pulled his NYPD hooded sweatshirt over his head, threw on his sneakers, grabbed his keys, and ran out the door.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Jojo and Janel sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee when Vicki came stomping in and proceeded to reach into the freezer. She pulled out her favorite Chocolate-Chocolate Chip ice cream and a spoon while banging doors and drawers as she went. She then ripped open the ice cream and stabbed the spoon into it, growling loudly as her elbows hit the counter.

Janel had her coffee cup half way in the air about to drink its contents and Jojo had been reaching for a magazine on the table when Vicki came in so abruptly. Both had frozen mid-action as they watched her storm around the kitchen. Something had happened with Don. They both knew it as they had heard her voice get angry and loud mere seconds before. But they wanted to be as nonchalant as possible. They thought that she would've just stayed in her room and ranted in there. She probably will want to talk about it in the morning, they assumed, but instead she went for the ice cream. This guy had really done a number on her!

Janel and Jojo went into action quickly with a firm nod to one another. They let her have a few bites. Then they ripped the ice cream out of her grasp and held her off as she tried to fight for it. They also took away her spoon and promptly put it into the dishwasher before it could do anymore damage to the sweets in the pantry. Sometimes she was a rather emotional eater. She also didn't like anyone trying to take away her food. So you can imagine what it was like for them to try to take away her food when she's emotional. Finally, after a lot of angry growls they got her to sit down and talk about what happened.

She recited the whole phone conversation and it had required half a box of Kleenex and several hugs before the tear and sniffles had stopped. Both Janel and Jojo had tried to get her to call him back, but she politely refused. Janel had gone into the kitchen to get them all something to drink when there was a knock at the door.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don didn't know how long he had been walking in the rain, whether it had been ten or twenty minutes, an hour or three hours. The rain soaked through his clothes straight to his skin. He shivered as it continued to drip down his face. Throughout the walk he questioned everything about his life, even his job. And he NEVER questioned his job. It was always the one stable thing in his life. Now that was in question and it shook him to the core. His eyes stung with not only tears from having the rain fall into his eyes but also with tears at this realization.

He continued to walk. He had no idea where he was going, he didn't know and he didn't care. Somehow his feet had steered him to Vicki's apartment house. One of the apartment attendants was out in the hall. She saw him and let him in. They all knew him now and plus he was a cop. He made his way up to Vicki's door and paused as he stared at the peephole and the numbers of her door. The two and the "B" challenged him to knock, questioning whether or not she'd answer and let him in. He knocked as he came to the realization that Vicki had now been the one constant in his life, the one thing in his life that, even though he didn't know all of yet, was the one thing that he understood. He needed her right now and it was foolish of him not to let her into his world. The door swung open as a very shocked Vicki opened the door.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Vicki got up reluctantly from the couch to answer the door even though Jojo had tried to get it herself. It was almost as if Vicki knew who the person on the other side of the door was going to be. Jojo didn't need to see much else when she saw Vicki's body go rigid and a tall shadow appear in the hallway as the door opened. Jojo ran into the kitchen grabbed Janel and their drinks and hurried into one of their bedrooms quietly shutting the door.

Vicki stood there shocked as she saw him dripping wet from head to toe. She stole a quick glance at the window and noticed that it was pouring. She wondered how long he had been walking around before he found himself at her place. She turned back towards him and noticed his eyes were almost completely void of any emotion. They were a scary and stormy grayish- blue and the skin around them was red and puffy as if he had been crying. The dripping wet black locks of hair that fell in front of those eyes made him look dangerously cold. His distraught appearance sent chills up her spine as she realized how much he had been hurting and how she should've been more understanding. She had been selfish. She was stubborn however and was not willing to let go of the fact that he would not let her in. She had been worried, and still was, that he would kill himself before he confided in her or anyone else for that matter. The thought scared her. The tears began to form in her eyes again as she began to speak. "Don…wha…?" was all that she could say before his arms enveloped her and his lips crashed onto hers as he shivered with emotion.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

He looked up from the spot on the floor he was staring at and met her eyes. They were the most beautiful and comforting things he had ever seen in his life. Right away he felt the calm wash over him as he watched her mind work and her eyes look over him. He saw her look outside to see the reason why he looked like he had jumped into someone's pool before he felt her stare back at him.

He took her in as well. He could tell from far away, as the rain had cleaned his senses, that she had had something chocolate, most likely because of him. Her hair was hanging in flowing natural waves. Some of it gracefully covered part of one eye. He noticed that her eyes were red and puffy. He looked further down and saw that she was wearing a Grateful Dead T-shirt along with some baggy comfortable chilling out jeans that pooled at her bare feet. There she was, his little sexy hippy rocker, and she had been worried and crying because of him.

_How could I have been so stupid_? He thought to himself as he heard her trying to speak. She wouldn't get very far because he then enveloped her into an embrace. She felt so good against his cold skin. He felt terrible, she had cried and it was his entire fault. He had to tell her. He was thinking this as he began to shake.

He didn't want to know her reaction. That's why he had kept this from her. He was afraid. Don Flack was never afraid. Yet it was what she had done to him. How she affected him. He let her go and she let him come into the apartment.

"I wanna tell you. I wanna tell you everything so badly. I want you to know what happened to me that's bothering me so much. I'm just so afraid of scaring you away or that what I have to say would make you leave me. Everything's so perfect now I don't wanna mess it up, but I almost did by not letting you know." He told her his voice low, husky, and shaky. He laid his forehead against hers and squeezed his eyes shut. He said it. It was all out in the open. He took a hand from his side and slid his fingers into her hair letting his palm cup her cheeks and neck. He was comforted as his jaw worked in emotion when her warm dry hand came to rest on his. He opened his eyes so he could look into her eyes. They were green and bright and brimming with tears.

"You don't have to be afraid to tell me anything. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I don't scare easily." She gave him a mischievous and wry grin as some tears spilled over a little. They both gave wet chuckles at the joke when all of a sudden Don sneezed. A cold that threatened to surface ruined the moment. He wanted to get her as close as possible, but she refused to get wet. She looked at him like she had just caught him sneaking some cookies. "But first we're getting you out of those wet clothes. You're going to get pneumonia."

He sneezed several times as she pulled him into her room. She left him on a spot of carpet in the middle of her room. He looked around and shielded his eyes as she turned on a bright side table light right in front of him. She looked up at him sheepishly with an apology in her eyes before disappearing into the bathroom. He chuckled at the string of banging and curses she rattled off as she rustled around in there. He looked around.

Her work was scattered all over the walls and dressers, neatly but still scattered. He saw that behind the clutter there was a romantic poster of her favorite photo. It was of the sailor kiss in Times Square. The picture was one of his favorites too. He looked around further at the other romantic things in her room along with the purple walls, the cream bedspread, and the dark red wood furniture. It certainly wasn't his tastes, but it looked comfy and well lived in.

He didn't get any more time to reflect as she returned from the bathroom with fresh towels. "Here." He grabbed the towels and held them at arms length. Drying off would require her to not be in the room. She purposely went over to the drawers and pulled out several before rummaging through them. She pulled out some comfy socks, an oversized t-shirt, and some clean sweatpants. She thrust them into his hands. "Sorry if they don't fit quite right. You don't need boxers, do you?," she asked him and breathed a sigh of relief as he shook his head no. "I'll leave you alone to dry off and change then. Would you like some hot tea or hot chocolate?" She asked him as she made for the kitchen in order to continue her ambitious tasks of keeping Don from getting a cold.

Flack grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into his embrace, all of the things falling onto the floor. He nuzzled his cold nose with her warm one before brushing his lips across hers. She shivered and he smirked into the kiss as he pulled away. He looked into her eyes with such sincerity that it warmed them both up immediately. "Thank you for being so good to me, I don't deserve it. And yes, I would love some hot chocolate." He let go of her wrist as she walked away from the bedroom. She was in the hallway when she turned back to him.

"You do deserve it and I'll be waiting for you in the living room. You can take a hot shower, if you want to." She offered as she went into the kitchen.

Don turned towards the bathroom and decided that the shower was an excellent idea. He shivered as he peeled off his wet clothes. He didn't realize how cold he was until the steaming hot water hit his skin and he began to shiver again, this time almost shaking violently. He waited until the shaking receded and he felt warm again before he stepped out into the bedroom and began to dry himself. He heard giggles coming from the doorway and when he looked up heard the slamming of bedroom doors before he closed Vicki's. Thankfully he had a towel around his waist. Vicki would be the only girl to ever get a view of his endowments in that apartment. He chuckled when he heard Vicki yelling at her friends to leave him alone.

He dressed in silence after that, wondering how in the hell he was going to tell Vicki about everything that he had gone through. Some of it was even hazy at times for him, while other times he could recall it with shocking accuracy. He decided to just let it ride as he threw on the socks.

He looked in her mirror at his reflection when he was finished changing. He was glad he didn't look sick, but he looked more wan than usual like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He breathed in deep closing his eyes. _Steady yourself Don. You can't hide from this anymore_, he thought to himself before he balled his hands into fists in determination and exited her bedroom. The smell of hot chocolate flooded his nostrils, comforting him.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

He looked around and noticed Vicki wasn't in the kitchen as he entered from the hallway.

"Over here." He heard Vicki's gentle voice call from the living room. She was curled up on a big comfy couch with a blanket wrapped around her, a book in her lap, and a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. She looked quite at home and Don found himself wishing that one day she would look like that because of him. She patted a seat on the couch and he went over and sat down without question. She reached over and plucked a cup from the coffee table and thrust it into his hands. It was nice and warm, not blistering hot, and the whip cream on top was partially melted, just like he liked it. "Drink up it'll make you feel better!" She tried her damnedest to make him feel comfortable and he could tell. So he did his best to do the same as he took a sip of the warm liquid. She was right it warmed him from the inside out and he could feel himself relaxing and getting more comfortable. He could hear her giggles next to him. He looked at her while resting his cup on his knee.

"What is it?" He asked as the giggles got louder. She reached out and touched her finger to the skin just above his lip and pulled it back so that he could see the cream that had stayed on his lip giving him a mustache. She laughed even harder when he licked it away with his tongue and playfully growled before pulling her closer, resting his arm around her comfortably. They both sighed in comfort as they finished their hot chocolate in comfortable silence.

The silence continued as they both watched the rain outside the kitchen window. Don was running his fingers along the bare part of her arm tracing intricate patterns in her skin and Vicki was trying her hardest to not be affected by it. He was here to tell her something important not to be assaulted by her. She didn't have to battle with her inner monologue when Don reached with his other hand and pulled at her chin so that she was facing him. He brushed his lips across hers and she sighed as she turned to face him. The kiss was soft but she could feel the conflicting emotions inside of him. She knew that he had to do this and she was willing to listen to whatever it was that he had to say. He pulled away so that they could look into each other's eyes.

Don swallowed once before looking away from her eyes, he couldn't bring himself to look at her. She changed her position on the couch so that she could face him. "You know, it feels like it was a long time ago, when it was only months. The physical therapy was almost as bad as what happened." His voice echoed through the living room and kitchen. Vicki's breath was heavy as she waited for the terrible news he had to tell her. It scared her to no end as to what it might be that had happened to him. She just prayed with all her heart that he would someday heal. "Do you remember any news reports about an explosion in a building near a block party?" He questioned as a he turned to finally face her, looking for her recollection of it. Vicki's brows came together as she tried to remember. Finally, her eyes widened in shock when she finally remembered. He looked away again.

"I do. It was an office building. There had been a crime scene in the same building so there were police already there and they found the bomb in the middle of the investigation. I remember three people still being inside, two of them cops. One of the cops was critically wounded and for a time was on life support. It was so sad, I felt so bad for his fam… Don't tell me you were one of the cops that was stuck in that building?" Vicki practically screamed out in shock, tears filling her eyes. They were tears of fear and shock, not tears of pity. He nodded his head. She gasped. She wasn't prepared for what he was about to tell her.

"I was the cop that was critically wounded." He looked her in the eyes as the turmoil finally flooded his entire being. This is what he had kept from her. He was ready for her to kick him out or to comfort him and then send him on his way never to see her again. He wasn't prepared for her reaction. She immediately went to his side and pulled him bruisingly close as she wept into his chest. Don at first didn't know how to respond. It was like she was afraid to let him go. At first he tried to shift his body to bring her closer, but she held fast and incredibly strong. Finally, after wrapping his arms around her and letting her know he wasn't going to leave, he shifted his position. She was now rested against him comfortably and as close as humanly possible. She continued to cry and he heard her muffled "Oh my God's" getting weaker and weaker until the emotion finally receded. She looked up at him before finally loosening her grip on him.

"Oh my God. I can't believe something like that happened to you! Are you okay?" She said as she cupped his face in her hands . She looked like she was doing an inspection on him. She let her hands run along his body like a mother would do after her child took even the smallest of falls.

Don chuckled bitterly to himself. "Yeah, I'm fine, now. I wish you could've been there for when I was actually in the hospital. Everyone either didn't know how to react or tried to pretend everything was normal. No one even cared that after everything was said and done what it was going to be like for me. I know at least my boss Mac understands after being through Desert Storm and all, but he never said what it would really be like for me afterwards. I don't blame him either, he has his own demons to work out. You're the first one that actually asked 'Are you okay'" He said before kissing her quickly on the lips. "My mother and father just visited me regularly. Even that was against my father's wishes. 'The boy doesn't need to be babied anymore', he said. My mother, just kept on saying this is more proof that I needed to find myself a girlfriend." He looked down at her as she looked up at him. Her eyes were dried now with nothing but strength in them. Strength she hoped that he could see. He wrapped his arms around her and she wrapped her arms around him and they stayed like that for a while.

"I wish I knew what it was like for you. I wish I could've shared your pain. I wish I could've been there for you while you were held up in that awful sterile hospital. I wish it didn't happen to you." Vicki said out loud as she embraced him harder, her voice getting shaky as tears spilled from her eyes. Don could feel the spot on his shirt where her head laid getting wetter by the minute. He shifted so that she was now off of his chest and looking into his eyes.

"You don't have to worry. I'm here and it's all over. Was it terrible? Yes, but it's over now. I'm fine. I have a few battle scars but other than that I'm completely fine. Okay?" He said this as he wiped away her tears with his thumbs. Vicki gave him a nod and a sob before he covered his mouth with hers. He couldn't believe she was this worried about him. It was like if she had the power to take away his pain and erase his memories of that awful day she would. Little did she know that just by her being there for him like that she was doing him a world of good. He never thought before that instead of her supporting him it would be the other way around. Now he was afraid of what Vicki would be like if anything every happened to him while they were together. They broke apart and Vicki snuggled closer to him, sniffling as the tears stopped once again.

They stayed like that for the rest of the night and Don began to fall asleep before Vicki's voice roused him. "Well we can't sleep here on the couch. Do you wanna stay the night?" Vicki asked him as she untangled herself and made a move to go to bed. He grabbed her hand and made her sit back down, looking her in the eye. The suggestive look he gave her made her think twice. "Oh no, Scoundrel! There'll be none of that. I'm a virgin and I prefer to stay that way. I'm nobody's whore! If you wanna be like that you can sleep on the couch!" Don couldn't lie he was amused by her saucy attitude. He liked that confident fire in her.

"How could anyone as gorgeous as you be a virgin?" He asked in a complimentary tone. He didn't think that she would stand up forcefully and get so offended.

"I could be a virgin because maybe it's my choice! Also, because I made a promise to my parents! Also it could be because of jerks like you are thinking that just because a girl's gorgeous that makes her an automatic slut!" She huffed out an angry breath of air as she turned on her heel to leave. Flack quickly rose and grabbed her wrist pulling her into his embrace crashing his lips onto hers not letting her get away from him. She tried to resist, but soon melted into his embrace as his kiss proved he didn't think of her like that at all.

"I'm sorry that was dumb of me to say." Don said when they finally broke apart, both their chests heaving.

"It's okay, how could you know it's a sensitive subject with me. But if you think you're going to get anything out of me before there's a ring on my finger you can forget it! I've dealt with enough of those type of guys before so if that's what you want I'm sorry but you've got the wrong girl." Vicki finished looking away from him to the door waiting to see his figure walk over to it. She was surprised when it didn't. She gasped as she felt his firm warm hands cup her face and turn it so that he could look into her eyes.

"I would never do that to you if that's not what you want. You must have not met the good guys. But where I come from us men are taught by our mothers to respect women." Don brushed his lips across Vicki's mouth as he kissed her softly. She sighed as they broke apart.

"Okay." She said. They laughed with each other. Vicki made a move to leave it at that and get him a comforter to sleep on the couch, still not entirely comfortable being alone…in bed…with an amazingly gorgeous guy like him. She didn't trust herself. But Don grabbed her and pulled her to him again. He hugged her close. Her hands came up from behind and smoothed themselves across his back.

"I don't want to be alone tonight if it's alright with you." He smiled sweetly down at her as she nodded her okay, guiding him to her room by a hand.

"I shall not be held responsible for any actions of mine occurring under the covers!" She announced giggling as he growled out loud pulling her into a hug from behind as they entered her bedroom. She closed the door behind her and locked it for good measure as Don sat down and began to take off his socks and sweatpants. She looked at him questioningly.

"I'll keep my shirt on if that'll make you more comfortable." She nodded shyly as she turned out the light in her room. She let her eyes adjust to the new darkness as the light from the city poured into the bedroom in ripples from the heavy rain. She then climbed in and curled up next to Flack as he was already laying down and getting comfortable. In no time they found their comfort in one another's arms and were beginning to drift off into dreamland.

"I figured out a good nickname for you, by the way." Vicki said getting a confirming grunt that Don was still awake.

"Yeah, what is it?" Don asked curiously.

"Scoundrel." Vicki said as she smiled and yawned before she eased into her slumber. Don smiled to himself listening to her breathing as it relaxed him too into a deep sleep.

The next morning they would awake with smiles on their faces and in each other's arms glad that they both would spend the day together. For the first time in a long time, Don would be truly happy.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

A/N: So hope you like this one!! It's a little bit sad and fluffy, but I liked it!! Reviews are much appreciated!!


	5. Meet Me at Sullivan's

A/N: Hi!!! At first I thought that I'd be able to get this chapter out quick but now its taking forever its like geez!!!! So ya hope you like it!!

Thank you Forest Angel, kaitlyn143, Sunny3886, Soccer-Bitch, and Raven 4129!!! I love you readers and thanks for the awesome reviews as always!!

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

The week following Don's confession was one of the best of his life. He saw Vicki almost everyday and he would pick her up at her work to go out to lunch. He met all of her friends from work and spent time with her, Janel, Jojo, Rama, and Teresa. They were all great people and he loved the fact that she was the same person no matter where she was. To him, Vicki was even better when she was mingling amongst a big crowd.

He chuckled at the fact that when he entered her office all the women in the room would smile at him and start whispering. He loved it even more when Vicki would send them knowing glares before walking out to lunch with him. Her boss was nice as well except for the fact that sometimes he was a grouchy old man saying that Don was disturbing the peace of the office and distracting Vicki and all Don did was pick her up for lunch! What did they talk about when he came around?

However, Vicki was concerned that while he knew almost everyone that revolved around her daily routine, she had never once met his friends and coworkers. She had never even been in the precinct where he worked. When asked if she could pick him up for lunch it was always "no I'll come to you," or "Don't worry I'm in the area." Never had she met his work friends. Sure he told her about them but that was completely different from meeting them. She really wanted to know who the people were that were in his life on a daily basis. It would definitely help tell her more about him. She didn't know why she only got so far with him before she'd have to break down another one of his walls. Why couldn't he just let her in?

They were sitting down to lunch at Nectar, one of her favorite places. Sure it was on the expensive side and Don fought saying that he knew better places but she still loved being there because there was something about it that was just so undeniably New York City to her and she loved to eat there. She watched Don munch on a pickle looking away from her. They were finishing up their meal as the check came to the table. She realized that they hadn't said one word to each other throughout the entire meal and that never happened.

"Why aren't you tawlkin' ?" She asked him her Jersey girl accent undeniable as she was trying hard to not sound like she had something secret that she was going to corner him about but her disguise wasn't working.

"Just thinkin'…" Came his cryptic answer in his New York accent. That always made her smile and forget everything she was thinking about but she wouldn't be dissuaded. She purposefully followed him out the doors as he finished paying the check.

They walked out into the fall afternoon sun shining right into her eyes. She shaded the sun with one of her hands and the other hand curled onto her hip. "Ya know I don…"

"Wanna meet me and my friends from work later tonight?" He said facing her and blocking the sun with his tall stature. Vicki tried to hide her excitement but she couldn't as she squealed buried her hands in his hair and pulled his lips down to hers. She let go just as quickly catching him off guard as he stumbled. She had a wide happy grin on her face as she began to walk over to his car. Don quickly recovered and was soon instep with her as he grabbed her hand. She looked over excitedly to him before continued to look towards the other end of the street at absolutely nothing.

"So I'm taking that as a yes?" Don asked as he opened the car door smiling down on her. He closed her door and walked to the other side getting in and starting the engine looking over as Vicki put on her seatbelt.

"Yes it is! I'm glad I didn't get a chance to yell at you about it before you asked!" She said as they kissed each other on the lips.

"I could tell it was making you mad because whenever you asked I avoided the subject. The guys are just getting off a hard case and they're planning on going to Sullivan's tonight. Perfect timing too since I got you all riled up." He chuckled as she slapped him playfully on the arm still unable to hide how happy she was. She was finally going to meet the people that help make Don Flack the man he is. She'd finally know more of the things that make him tick.

He dropped her off at the office and they promised to meet at Sullivan's at the bar at eight that evening. What Vicki didn't know was that the gang was planning to meet up at seven thirty and they didn't know that they were going to meet Vicki. They hardly knew that Don was dating. Danny and Lindsay only thought that he'd had a good time one night and that was a while ago. Many noticed that he'd been happier at work but no one thought anything of it besides him starting to put the accident behind him and lucky for Don because he was planning a great way for them to find out.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Seven thirty came around sooner then expected as the gang made their way to their special table. The owner kicked some customers out of the way as he quickly cleaned off the table dropping three pitchers of beer and some fries on the table. It was their usual order and he treated them well but not just because they were cops but also because they kept away the troublemakers and they were loyal customers.

It was crowded and Don was searching the crowd for Vicki. This didn't go unnoticed by Danny who was working on his fourth glass of beer loosening up his tie as well as his mouth.

"What's up Flack got a big date tonight?" He said with a chuckle leaning back swigging some more beer while putting an arm around Lindsay who leaned into his frame.

"Nah, just checking out the local fish. Look there's a couple nice ones right over there." He said pointing to a pair of blonde heads he knew Danny would follow.

"Where?" Dan asked looking around getting an elbow in the gut as Don smiled proudly to himself laughing inside when Danny fell for his trick.

The bells on the bar door jingled and Don looked over seeing the familiar green-eyed beauty walk in. He wolf whistled to add to the effect of his plan. "Wow, look at the fox that just walked in." She took a seat at the bar and Don grinned as he watched her gracefully take a seat and order her usual glass of red wine. She looked around trying to find him and continued to drink not being successful. Lucky for Don the place was crowded this night.

"Damn…" Danny said before getting another elbow in his ribs responding to it with "oomph".

Don made a move to get up. "Oh Don, you're not gonna hit on that nice innocent looking girl over there!" Lindsay said grabbing his elbow. Oh, the poor girl!

"Of course I am, you don't think I'm gonna let these other gentlemen get their grubby little paws on her before I do?" He said making his way over to the bar. He heard Lindsay call 'Scoundrel' out to him almost laughing out loud at the now affectionate term but had to keep his cool. He leaned expertly onto the bar just like when they first met. Vicki looked over and went to hug him. He gave her eyes that made her stop questioningly. Don thanked lady luck as a person walked into his colleagues' line of vision blocking the almost-hug. He mouthed the words 'play along' throwing his eyes over in their direction before saying "So what's a dame like you doing in a place like this?" He flirted with her like he did when they first met.

"Well I heard it's the best place to meet hot, sexy, manly cops." She said leaning her chest right into his line of vision as she got up off the stool. She looked over seeing his friends look on with rapt interest. She grabbed his tie and wrapped it around her hand. "Plus I like a man that always has a pair of cuffs handy." She smiled pulling on his tie and hearing Don growl as their lips met hotly. It wasn't much of a game any more as he pulled an arm around her waste pulling her closer and upward deepening the kiss.

They lost themselves for a good minute or two before Don pulled them apart with a disapproving grunt. They both looked over to the team who's jaws were practically nailed to floor and they cracked up hysterically walking over each having a hand comfortably on each other's hips. They continued to laugh leaning into each other for support as the team's faces reminded them of a good impression of a goldfish. When the guys finally recovered Don took the opportunity to introduce his leading lady.

(A/N: So that you guys see how this is set up, going clockwise around the circular table its Sid, Adam, Stella, Mac, then Hawkes, Lindsay, Danny, Don, and Vicki. Please continue reading…)

"Guys this is my girlfriend Victoria Lawrence. Honey this is our Medical Examiner and interesting story teller Dr. Sid Hammerback, our genius Lab Tech Adam Ross, our statue of liberty Detective Stella Bonesera, our boss and rock Detective Mac Taylor, the encyclopedia Dr. Sheldon Hawkes, Detective and professional jokester Danny Messer and his girlfriend and the resident country girl CSI Detective Lindsay Monroe."

Vicki shook each of their hands saying hello with a big smile on her face. They were still in quite a shock as Don pulled out a chair for her letting her take a seat. She put her bag down and poured herself a glass of beer smiling at the eyes on her. She didn't think that she'd get nervous but as they looked at her the pressure was mounting.

"So, how long have you two been going out?" Danny asked finally breaking the tension with a big smile on his face.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "I think its actually been close to a month. Right Don?" Vicki asked looking over at him with a smile meant just for Don as she rested her chin in her hand. He did the same thing as he nodded and smiled a proud smile to her and they leaned in and gave each other a quick kiss. Vicki looked back at everyone staring and felt a blush creep onto her cheeks.

There was a pregnant pause in the conversation and Vicki didn't know what to do. She looked to Don who was simply smiling in all of his glory. He covered his hand with hers and lifted it up to lace their fingers together. This was the most obvious display of affection she had ever experienced with a boyfriend. After an "ahem" from across the table- and another elbow in the ribs to Danny from Lindsay, one of the others took the opportunity to ask her some questions.

"So why have we never met you before this and you've been going out with Don for a month?" It was Stella that spoke up her fierce independent silver eyes staring into Vicki's sweet confident green ones. It was weird to Stella to look so enraptured with one another as Don and Vicki looked and wouldn't want to tell anyone.

Don shrugged before he answered for Vicki. "We've both just been really busy. Vicki's just about as involved with her career as any one of us."

"What do you do?" Mac questioned from the other end of the table.

"I'm a graphic designer. I'm also the Assistant Creative Director of a major advertising firm." She told the group her back straightening in confidence. She smiled with pride.

"Wow, that must be a busy career." Hawkes admired her from across the table.

"It is but I can't imagine what it must be like for you ladies and gentlemen being out on the streets everyday sometimes being shot at and having to run people to the ground to arrest them and most of the time with hardly any thanks at all. I wouldn't be able to do it." Vicki told them looking towards Don. This was the respect for his job she came to gain after their long conversation on her couch.

"Ah, its ok as long as there are people like you out there that understand." Adam said while putting his arms behind his head and leaning back on his chairs legs.

"Yes our resident lab tech really understands what its like to be out on the streets working!" Danny said while Stella elbowed Adam in the ribs and he fell forward onto the table with a loud "oomph". Everyone laughed at this including Vicki. Thus the tension was broken.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

The men excused themselves from the table to play a couple rounds of pool across the bar while the ladies circled Vicki at her end of the table to talk about her and how she managed to look so fabulous. Vicki could only blush and thank them for their compliments and admit that she hardly did anything at all to which they were shocked.

"It takes me forever to look like you do now and you've been up all day." Lindsay said sheepishly as she took a swig of her beer.

"Oh please you look absolutely wonderful to me!" Vicki said adding a comforting touch to her hand to further prove the point.

"I imagine it also helps when you have a boyfriend as good looking as Don!" Stella added and they all laughed out loud at this.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don looked over to the table across the bar watching the ladies as they began to talk and laugh comfortably. It was a relief to him because he wanted everybody to like her.

Hawkes clapped his hand onto Don's shoulder. "Good to see she fits in so nicely." Don nodded continuing to look towards the girls when their eyes met. "Does she know everything about what happened?"

Don stiffened inwardly at this but softened as the memories of their conversation and then waking up with Vicki in his arms rushed back to him. "Yeah we already talked about it. She saw right through me on the first date."

"Yo Mistah Hawkes ya gonna shoot or what?" Danny called out the them to draw them back to the game.

"That's Dr. Hawkes to you." Hawkes told Danny as he tried to take a shot and missed.

Sid leaned over to expertly shoot the ball into the pocket that Hawkes missed. "I can imagine that she saw right through you Don. She seems to be very intuitive. Probably a Scorpio am I correct?"

"Yeah her birthday's in early November. What about it?" Don asked curiously as he watched Sid take another shot.

"Well its just that they say that the Scorpios are the most passionate sign of the zodiac. In fact, I had the pleasure of meeting the one woman who said that her sign was Scorpio. She-"

"Alright, alright enough with the stories Doc rack up again now that you've cleared the table!" Mac said as the other guys laughed. Sid laughed along as well as he placed the balls on the table racking up letting Danny break them to start another game.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

All three ladies looked over when the men laughed out loud. Lindsay and Stella couldn't help but notice the twinkle in Vicki's eyes when she watched Don play.

"You love him don't you." Lindsay said to her with a sweet smile on her face.

"I'm not sure but I think I might." Vicki's eyes went wide as she continued to watch the men. She hadn't even thought of that before. "Sure it has always been a thought in the back of my head that I might but I always pushed it away." She said more for herself than Lindsay.

At this Stella and Lindsay both gave very girly squeals as they wrapped Vicki in a bear hug each.

"We're so glad! I think I can speak for the both of us when I say that we're glad you're with Don. He needs a girl like you." Stella said and they all laughed out loud when the guys came back over and sat down.

"Well I think its time to go baby what do you think?" Don asked looking at Vicki.

"First of all I'm not your baby and second of all sure I'll agree to that!" Vicki said as she got up. "Thank you for letting me join you in your get together! It was so much fun lets do this again soon!" Vicki said as she hugged each and every person in turn. Don could only smile with pride. Everyone seemed to love her much to his relief. They all said bye in unison and laughed out loud as Vicki and Don walked out of Sullivan's.

"They all seemed to love you." Don said as pulled her in for a kiss.

"I'm glad." Came Vicki's response before she closed the gap. Don deepened the kiss and lifted Vicki up off the ground. He had one hand entwined in her hair and the other was wrapped around her waist. There was hardly any space between them, not even for air. It was like Don couldn't get enough of her even if he was alone with her on a desert island. They were lost in the embrace for a while before Don finally let go. Vicki looked up at him in a haze before she was able to recover.

"Wanna come to my place tonight?" Don asked before grabbing Vicki's hand to walk down the street to his car.

"I can't. I'm sorry things are getting kinda hectic at the office. Even more so than it usually is. I need to finish the presentation for our big client this week because we're presenting to them on Monday. If this works out, this could be one of our biggest campaigns in the past five years." Vicki looked up at him proudly. There was no doubt in her mind that it wouldn't work out.

"I can just come over to your place, chill out and watch you work." Don suggested as he opened the car door to help her in. He ran around to the other side got in and began to drive to her place.

"I think you'd be quite the distraction in all your hotness and I wouldn't get any work done." Vicki said with a knowing, mischievous glint in her eye and a big smile.

"Well I promise I won't get in your way. I'll watch TV and you can do your work." Don wanted to work every possible angle he could to get a chance to have more time with her.

"The TV and you then would distract me." Vicki said very wisely.

They pulled up to her apartment house and we're standing outside her door. Don was still trying to weasel his way in to spending more time with her.

"Please?!" Don pouted his lips and made the best puppy dog eyes he hoped he could manage. Vicki could only laugh and wrapped him up in a hug with her head curled under his chin.

"As much as I would love it. I'd rather not loose my job. I will definitely call you tomorrow when I get the chance." Vicki told him before entering her apartment and leaving Don out in the hallway.

Don himself went home only to lie in bed wishing that Vicki was waking up in his arms again and that she'd be with him all day again. What did this all mean? He had no clue but he was wishing that it would be "tomorrow" so that he could hear her voice on the phone again.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

A/N: Thus the next installment comes to a close! Hope you like it!! Thanks in advance for the reviews and look out a lot of heavy stuff to come soon!!


	6. Won't You Please, Please Help Me?

A/N: Here I am again for another chapter! Not sure how this is going to turn out but its all in my wittle head xD So we shall see!

THANKS TO Forest Angel, kaitlyn143, and Soccer-Bitch FOR THE REVIEW!! LOVE IT AS ALWAYS!! And I see that there are people who have added my story and me to their favorites please feel free to review!! Don't be afraid I won't bite and I would love the comments!! XD

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Things for Don and Vicki had continued like normal after she met the gang at Sullivan's. In fact, they had been even better. Vicki had helped her boss win the major multi-million-dollar campaign for the ad company and she was now one of the most sought after graphic designers in the world. Don couldn't be prouder of her. They had gone out to celebrate and had an amazing time.

Life seemed like it was going great. However all of sudden Vicki had stopped calling Don. He went over to her apartment plenty of times. She would let him in and they would hang out but still she wasn't as involved as she was before. She seemed distant and scattered. It wasn't the job that Don was sure of but he couldn't put his finger on it. Whenever he asked, she seemed to just shrug it off.

A couple of weeks after that it seemed like she fell off the map. She was hardly at the apartment, working severely late nights and coming home to just shower and head back out or so Janel Rama Jojo and Teresa had told him. They were just as concerned as he was. It was like she just disappeared.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don had been thinking about all of this and listening to the rain beat at his window as the colors of the TV flashed against his face. He always liked to think in the dark. It was puzzling to him and he wished like hell that he knew what was going on with Vicki. He felt that in some way he could help, he needed to help.

He was trying to force himself to concentrate on the hockey game when there was a timid knock at his door. He got up cautiously and looked through the peephole to see Vicki's form. He unlocked and swung open the door slowly unable to believe his eyes.

She looked up at him, her green eyes filled with tears. She shivered and looked down unable to hold his gaze before walking forward until her head hit his chest and began to sob. She was dripping wet from head to toe and Don couldn't tell if she was shivering from the rain or because she was crying. He looked up and down and saw that she only had on an old sweatshirt and just her usual tee shirt and jeans with sneakers.

"Jesus Vicki! You're going to catch your death walking around in the rain like this!" He said as he hugged her close and rubbed her back, comforting her. The more he rubbed her back the more she shivered. It was like the cold was coming off her body in waves. "My god you feel like ice. Lets get you inside."

"I'm sorry I haven't been around or calling and then all of a sudden I rudely show up at your door a complete mess expecting you to take care of me. I'm so terrible." Vicki sobbed. It was like she had no control over it. Don could hardly hear all that she was saying while she was sobbing and it didn't help that her mouth was violently chattering.

"Do I look like I'm upset or that I'm mad at you?" Don questioned her with a knowing glare. "Don't worry about feeling guilty cause I'm taking care of you that's my job and I'm happy to do it!" He told her with a small smile as he left her sitting on his couch. He returned in a minute with clean towels and a set of his pajamas for her to wear. "Lets get you out of those wet clothes." He said as he helped her stand back up. "Are you soaked all the way through?" Don asked as he lifted Vicki's shirt off her while looking up at the ceiling praying for all the self-control and decency he possessed.

"I think I might be." Vicki said as she sniffled and sneezed as the air hit her wet skin sending goose bumps up her spine. Don grabbed his oversized t-shirt and a towel giving both to her. Vicki quickly dried off and threw the shirt on shivering as the warm soft fabric brushed against her still cold skin. She took off her jeans, wet undergarments, and socks by herself, dried off, and then put on Don's boxers and pajama bottoms. "You can open your eyes now." Vicki told a bashful Don as she handed him the now damp towel. She took the other towel he brought out and began to dry her hair as she sat silently on the couch.

"Here lemme help you with that." Don said forgetting about the other towel.

"No its ok. I'm just gonna dry off my hair and go." Vicki said avoiding Don's eyes. She thought that he hated her for not calling for so long.

"Why? Is that why you haven't been around? You wanted to avoid me so that you wouldn't have to see me. You want to break up with me!" Don said taking his hands away from their task of drying her hair in shock. He couldn't believe that was the problem but the more he thought the more it started to make sense.

"NO! No, that's not it at all! I thought you're mad at me!" Vicki said as she turned around to face Don her eyes still glassy looking into his blue eyes that had nothing but concern and caring in them. "God no! I want to be with you! I've just been busy at work, that's all." Vicki told him as she avoided his gaze yet again.

"Vicki its late and I'm not dancing around the issue with you! Tell me what happened dammit! What's wrong?" Don demanded of her forcefully. This was what she needed even if he was being harsh. She needed a man in her life that made her admit what was bothering her instead of letting her hold it inside.

"I almost lost my job today." She told him as her jaw quivered.

"Wha-why?! You just got the increase in your pay and practically got a promotion with that new campaign!" Don exclaimed unable to believe what he was hearing.

"I know, I know and that's not all of what happened." Vicki said waiting for him to be quiet and let her talk. Don quickly shut up and let her talk. "As Assistant Creative Director, I'm privy to any and all information that the Creative Director sees. This includes the company's financial records. I have to see them so that I know where our money is going with each campaign. So that we can stay under budget, everybody gets paid that needs to get paid, and you know the rest. I am not dumb so I noticed some of the numbers didn't add up. This is why I've been at the office so much. I've been making copies of the original documents and doing the math repeatedly over and over. The numbers just didn't add up! We were missing sometimes several million dollars from the company and how it goes unnoticed I had no idea. It wasn't that much at first. But they were getting more and more brazen as the company got more and more successful. The Creative Director, Taylor Wheeler and the CEO Roger McIntire were getting more and more extravagant with their spending and it made me curious."

"You're not the only cop that I know my friend. You're also not the only person I know that can get information legally. I did get that information and I was right. They were stealing from the company. So I called a private meeting between the two of them. I told them everything I knew and threatened to go to the police and the feds if they didn't stop. That's when they threatened my job and even my life if I told anyone. That's when I went home and immediately changed my clothes and walked until I somehow someway found myself staring at your apartment door. Ha. Its actually kinda funny that I find myself the same way you were 2 months ago." Vicki concluded with a wet chuckle and a sniffle.

She looked over and saw that the more she talked the more Don's jaw worked in anger. The last part really hit him hard. He didn't like the fact that she had been threatened in such a way at all. No one threatened his girlfriend and got away with it. "Is there anything I can do. Show me the documents. I wanna see this for myself."

"They're at my apartment and I'm really tired. Can we go there tomorrow? I've already called in sick and you're only on call." Vicki said with a yawn and a shiver.

"Ok, we'll sleep this off and then tomorrow you can show me everything that you found, my little federal agent." Vicki giggled as Don scooped her up in his arms and carried her into his bedroom. He tucked her in and wrapped his arms around her making a protective cover around her. Vicki fell asleep instantly and knew that there was nothing that could harm her ever now. Don however was a little shaken up by the fact that there was the possibility that someone could or even would harm her. It took about an hour and listening to Vicki's calm deep breathing with her form firmly in his arms before he could fall into the sound sleep that he was getting used to.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

The next day they went to Vicki's apartment. Don looked at all of the papers that Vicki had collected. He checked her math and even called over a friend he knew that was a lawyer that worked with financial cases. Needless to say Vicki was right. Her bosses were stealing from the company. If they kept up at the rate that they were going they could drive the company into bankruptcy because there wouldn't be enough profit to keep the company afloat.

"What do I do? I can't just let this happen!" Vicki said as she began pacing in the kitchen looking down at all the now being called evidence scattered on the table. She looked very desperate and very frazzled by everything because that's how she felt.

Don's friend looked at Vicki sympathizing with her situation. It was clear that they needed time to talk alone. "Don call me when you need someone in the courtroom about this. I'd be happy to defend her company. People like that should be in jail." The lawyer said as he gathered up his things to leave.

"Thanks Greg I'll call you if I need ya." He said as he shook Greg's hand showing him to the door.

"Victoria Lawrence it was a pleasure to meet you!" Greg called from the door. Vicki was brought out of her momentary haze and waved goodbye to him.

"It was a pleasure, too, Greg Sterling. And thank you for all the help!" Vicki called walking over to stand next to Don.

"Anytime. That's my job." Greg said walking away. Don closed the door and watched Vicki fall onto the couch exhausted. He watched her as she stared out her living room window.

"What do I do?" She said into the silence turning her head to look into Don's blue eyes. He hated to see her green eyes filled with such fear and worry.

"Well you, missy, are not going to do anything about it unless I'm there with a couple of uniformed officers and the feds. This is my jurisdiction now. You however need to be there as the witness to the crime. Plus, you need to face them so that you see the pathetic criminals that they really are." Don said walking over to her and sitting next to Vicki putting a comforting arm around her.

"When will we do that?" Vicki asked looking up into his blue eyes curiously.

"Monday, I want you to rest go back into work tomorrow and continue as if nothing has happened. For now though we can enjoy our day off together." At the last part Don lowered his voice as he brushed his lips across hers smiling as she smiled into the kiss.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

They did enjoy their time together that day and that weekend. It was a nice reprieve from all Vicki's worrying. Monday however came to soon for Vicki's liking. Mondays were the day that both the Creative Director and the CEO stayed late. So Don chose this as the day that they would make the arrest. He already told Mac and everybody about it incase they would have to gather physical evidence but the evidence against them was already overwhelming.

Vicki got impatient for Don to arrive at the office. It was already late and she didn't know how much longer the both of them would stay. She wasn't even worried about Taylor Wheeler. She had a feeling that he had sadly been talked into the whole situation. He was just a pawn. It was Roger McIntire that she was scared of. He was a big man that could easily take her out if he wanted to. Still she was brave and knew that she had to do something before it was too late. Besides it was her problem and her responsibility. She wasn't going to let Don take the fall and clean up her mess. These were Vicki's thoughts as she put on her suit jacket buttoned it, she grabbed her cell phone and put it in her pocket, this being her only weapon of defense would be calling Don, and walked with a straight back and purpose to the Wheeler's office. She was just about to enter when someone grabbed her hand and pulled her into the office next to it shutting the door.

She quickly looked around seeing nothing but darkness. "I know what you're going to do and you can't do it he'll kill you." She knew right away who was behind the voice. It was Taylor.

"Taylor, you both have to be stopped. I know you didn't want to do it. You've gotta get outta here and turn yourself in. You'll get off easy. It's him that I need to confront. Its McIntire that's going to get punished to the full extent of the law. Get outta here before its too late. I know what I'm doing." She told him. He swung the door open and regretfully let her out. She walked with even more confidence now into McIntire's office. She came to a stop in front of his desk and waited for him to look up.

"Yes, Vicki, what can I do for you? Do you have something for me?" He asked her gruffly. He didn't like anyone coming into his office with out a purpose that he knew of. He liked to know everything and wasn't a fan of surprises.

"Only to tell you that there are police and feds on their way here to arrest you. I have the evidence and went to the police and now there's nothing that you can do about it." She tried not to waver as she saw his temper mounting as he stood up. She stood straighter and straighter making sure he couldn't sense her fear.

"HOW DARE YOU? DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE?" He thundered at her getting inches away from her. "YOU'VE MESSED UP EVERYTHING!!"

"No, actually I've stopped a criminal from stealing money from the company." She told him quiet and calmly. McIntire lunged at Vicki grabbing her by the neck and slammed her against the wall. "Let go of me!" Vicki choked out grasping at his hands around her neck. She was beginning to blink in and out of consciousness. This wasn't going as planned. She kicked her feet and felt them make contact with his body. She was starting to hurt him and kicked him in the crotch and he grunted before finally letting go of her.

"You bitch you're going to pay for what you've done to my brilliant plan. You should've kept you mouth shut. She heard his footsteps go back towards the desk and heard a drawer open as she reached for her phone. Her vision was still blurred making it hard to dial.

She could hear the elevator ding and prayed that it was someone to help her. She saw a form stand over her and a metallic click of what she now realized was a gun. "Don" she said out loud hearing his voice on the phone. McIntire fired the gun shooting her in the torso. She screamed out loud at the searing pain of being shot in the gut rang throughout her body in waves. She blacked out from the pain before hearing Don's voice above her shouting her name and the voices of men around her struggling.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don raced with the feds and the other officers to her building and they raced up the elevator. He had a feeling that Vicki was either going to talk to McIntire by herself or that she was in trouble and he didn't like that feeling whatsoever. When they reached her floor they drew their guns seeing someone in the hallway. Don knew who it was.

"Taylor Wheeler get down on the ground and put your hands on your head. You're under arrest for theft and money laundering." Don called out to him.

"I'm turning myself in!" Taylor called back giving up immediately. "Forget about me you have to hurry Vicki's trying to take down McIntire by herself. He'll kill her." Taylor pleaded with Don looking him in the eye.

"Ok you two come with me and the rest of you stay here." Don said already on the move. This was what he was afraid of.

His phone went off and he picked up only to hear Vicki's voice weakly call out to him. He then heard a gun shot and Vicki's voice scream out before he bolted in a full sprint for McIntire's office where he heard the gun shot come from. He saw McIntire standing over Vicki's limp form and he almost passed out seeing a hole in her gut. Don lunged at McIntire and the other two officers came in seconds after him and took over restraining McIntire.

"Vicki!" Don called out to her as he brushed some hair away from her face. Vicki opened her eyes weakly and tried to scream out in pain but in only came out in a hushed yelp. "No, no don't try to move or cry out help is on the way. You call EMS and get them here immediately! You call the CSIs and get them out here, this is now a crime scene. Don't touch the gun." Don called to them as he took off his jacket and made it a compress for her abdomen. He continued to rub her head and kiss her all over her cheeks eyes nose forehead and lips. He called out her name begging for god, any god, to make her be ok. EMS arrived in record time and scooped her up on a gurney. As they continued to assess her and bring her back to consciousness, she kept on calling out for Don. He wanted to go with her but it was his job to remain with the scene. Mac and Stella arrived as EMS did and they both immediately went to Don.

"Don what are you doing here? You should go with Vicki." Mac told him forcefully.

"I have to stay with the scene. Its my job." Don looked Mac in the eye. They both knew that wasn't it. It hurt him to see her hurt.

"Go with Vicki. She needs you more than we do. We can handle it here." Stella told him. One of the EMS came over and got Don's attention hearing the name that Vicki kept on calling out.

"Are you Don?" The EMS asked him. At Don's confirmation, he began to push him towards the ambulance. "Come with us to the hospital, she keeps on calling for you." Don and the EMS guy ran to the ambulance and climbed in. Don sat beside Vicki grabbing her hand and the ambulance sped off to the hospital leaving Mac and Stella to process the scene.

"What do you think happened here?" Stella asked Mac as she began to take pictures.

"Vicki almost lost her life trying to do the right thing." Mac said solemnly as he began to gather evidence.

"Her boss will be going away for a long time thanks to her. We can only hope that she'll be ok." Stella said putting the gun into an evidence bag.

"If Don has anything to do with it she will be." Mac smiled as they continued their task. Both wondered if Vicki would be ok as she was being rushed to the hospital Don holding her hand.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

A/N: Ok, deep breathes everybody. I know that it was a really bad cliff hanger and that you'll probably be screaming at me but its all in the story line believe me! I'm sorry! Forgive me! I love you readers!


	7. PS I Love You

A/N: Hey here's another chapter I know it seems like one right after the other after the other but its such a good plot line that I just had to!

THANKS TO Raven 4129, Forest Angel, and Soccer-Bitch FOR THE REVIEWS AS ALWAYS!! I LOVE YOU MY FAITHFUL READERS!!! And to those that have not reviewed yet but are also my faithful readers don't be shy!! I wanna and would love to know what you think!!

Disclaimers: Just wanna write a reminder since its been a while since I've said this and me no like trouble… can't afford trouble lol… but these fantastic characters are not of my creation… I'm not that good except for characters not in the TV show… they're all mine… ask and you may have them but otherwise BACK OFF BITCH MINEE!! Jkjk but seriously ask and ye shall receive…

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Vicki awoke suddenly from what felt like an awful nightmare. She dreamed that she had been shot and that Don had cried out for her over and over again. Still as she looked at the IV tube that ran to a needle inside her hand she knew that it hadn't been a dream and the pain in her gut made it all the more real. She looked over to see Don looking out the window. His stormy blue eyes looked so pained that it hurt more than her wound to look at him. He looked over and jumped up to be beside her as he saw her soft tired green eyes staring into his.

"My scoundrel! Who knew that you could be my hero too?" She said sweetly to him as she rubbed the side of his face with her hand. He grabbed it and kissed her knuckles.

"You scared me there for a second I thought you weren't going to come back to me." Don said with a smile even though his eyes told a different story.

"I'm here aren't I?" She giggled and then winced. It hurt to laugh.

"Yes, yes you are." He gave a wet chuckle as a tear rolled down the side of his face. She wiped the tear away with her hand. Their happy reunion was interrupted by a commotion in the hallway. They could here a distant man's voice saying her name.

"Let me in to see her! I don't care if I'm not her immediate family I'm her best friend and I have to see her!" The voice called out. Vicki knew right away who it was.

"Don would you go get him and tell the nurses that I said it's ok." Vicki told him smiling a huge wide smile. Don had no clue who it was.

"Its ok nurses Vicki said that she wants to see him. You?!" Don first didn't notice who it was until he saw him. It was Tyler Denatale. He wasn't part of the Italian mob in the city but he was connected in New Jersey and his family was known for helping many of the Sassone family in the city. So of course it shocked him to see Denatale.

"Yes, me. I came to see Victoria Lawrence now outta my way Detective!" Tyler said going around him. "Vic!" Tyler shouted running to her bedside grabbing her hand. "Jesus are you ok? I heard from the family that something had happened to you. They didn't know if they should tell me or not! If I had known how stupid and dangerous he was we would've gotten rid of McIntire sooner." Tyler said forgetting that Don was in the room. He looked around the room and investigated her making sure she was really all right.

"Tyler its ok. Don, honey, would you give us a few minutes, please?" Vicki said sitting up taking Tyler's nervous hands and holding them in her own and seeing Don in the doorway giving a questioning look towards the best friends.

"Sure thing sweetie I'll just go get some coffee." Don said walking away a curious look still on his face. Why didn't he know that she knew someone like Tyler?

"God, I can't believe this happened!" Tyler said walking around the hospital room like a caged animal.

"Tyler I told you its ok! I'm ok!" Vicki said desperately wishing she could get up and walk around to him.

"No its not its my fault this happened to you. Your company was connected and you didn't know. McIntire was our link to inside the firm. The money he was taking was for his troubles." Tyler said looking down.

"So I was in a dangerous situation from the start and you didn't tell me! You knew I was working there! You could've said something years ago!" She said to him with a half smile. Tyler stopped and looked at her expression it didn't seem to be one of anger.

"So you're not mad at me?" He winced.

"No of course I'm not! The whole situation is kinda silly actually. You had no idea that he would try to kill _me_. He probably had no idea that I'm so connected. It was my fault. I went to him and tried to take McIntire down myself. What can I say? I'm accident prone." Vicki said simply.

"Well you're lucky that you're my best friend because they were ready to put a hit on you until I said something. I had to do a lot of begging and owe my grandfather yet another favor. Thanks to you the feds are gonna be all over the family again like white on rice." Tyler said his smile coming back as he took a seat next to her. "So the detective's the boyfriend then huh?" He asked from his seat raising an eyebrow to her, his elbows on his knees.

"You're not mad are you?" She asked with a sheepish expression on her face.

"No, not really but I don't think he likes me. It would've been better if he wasn't a cop though." He told her honestly. "The New York cops are the ones that always try to bring us down. The New Jersey cops know its better not to try."

"What's the harm in just separating the fact that he's a cop and that you're connected to the mob? You're my best friend and he's my boyfriend that's all there is to it!" Vicki tried to reason with Tyler.

"Because I hate to tell you that's not all there is to it. What would happen one day if I find myself arrested in his precinct, even by him? You know I don't take kindly to people when they do things like that. I can't trust that if I try to have a conversation on the phone with you or that if I'm talking to you on the Internet that he's not around looking for evidence against the family. As much as I love you, the family comes first." Tyler told her seriously standing up.

"That's not fair I've been your best friend through high school and supported every damn single relationship you've had. I think I love him and that's a big thing for me to admit you know!" Vicki told him frustrated with Tyler's attitude. Tyler looked at her shocked that she was standing up for herself and actually saying outright what she felt. She had never done that to him even when they both knew he was wrong. Now she was doing it and he had a feeling it was because she was with Don.

Tyler's expression softened to his usual smile. "You know what I'll try to get to know him and be friendly and all that. So you know that if it doesn't work its not me its him." He said walking to the door.

"You're leaving me without giving me a Tyler hug?" Vicki said with a pout on that she saved for just Tyler and that she had been doing to Don lately when she felt flirty.

"Ok ok I will but no practical jokes like saying ouch or that I'm standing on tubes or something." He warned her before giving her a bear hug.

"Yay! I got a Tyler hug!" Vicki said feeling accomplished. Don had returned just in time to see them hug one another. The smile on her face was like the smile she saved just for him. Don didn't know whether to be jealous or to be curious or even what to make of her relationship with Tyler. He decided to make his appearance known.

"Ok Vicki I think that this is all enough excitement for one day. Time to rest now." Don said to the two of them.

"I'll call you later. Do you have you cell phone?" Tyler asked looking down to her. Vicki looked up to Tyler.

"Yup! Visit me again! I think I might be in here a while. Love you, bye!" Vicki said to him as he walked around Don to the door.

"Love you, bye!" Tyler said in his slow voice. "See ya, Flack." Tyler nodded to Don giving one last funny smile and wave to Vicki before finally leaving the room. Vicki started to laugh hysterically with him gone. She sighed looking contently to Don as he took a seat.

"You don't ever look that content with me!" Don said half-jokingly. He was very curious as to what their relationship was.

"Sorry, I haven't seen him in the longest time. We only ever talk on the phone or online. It's never enough. He's one of my closest best friends." Vicki said with memories behind her eyes. She yawned all of a sudden very tired.

"Ok bed for you!" Don said tucking her in as she shimmied to a laying down position.

"You're not going to stay are you?" Vicki asked in a yawn.

"I couldn't imagine being anywhere else." He said simply kissing her on the lips. It was also the truth. He would probably just want to be by her side if he went back to his apartment anyway. "I'll be sitting right next to you if you need me." He said stroking stray strands of hair on the side of her face back into her ponytail.

"Lay with me, please?" I don't think I'll be able to go to sleep otherwise." Vicki said with the same pout she gave Tyler. No guy friend or boyfriend could resist it.

"Ok! Not that I mind laying with you either." Don said with a smile as he put away his gun, badge and took off his tie and jacket putting them on the chair. He climbed in next to her and wrapped his one arm around her letting her hug him close with her head on his chest. He rested a hand on her arm. Vicki fell asleep instantly and he all of a sudden felt as if he had aged ten years thanks to that little scare. His eyelids began to get heavy but he had to say something before he fell asleep. "I love you, Vicki." He said and then yawned.

"I love you, too." Vicki told him back hugging him even closer. Don smiled and readjusted so that his cheek was resting on his head and they both were instantly in a deep restful sleep.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

A/N: Awww sooo cute!! Lmao I hope you guys liked this it touched me in an extra special way. Probably cause the best friend in the story is modeled after my best friend XD well one of them at least.


	8. A Scene Out of Penny Lane Gone Bad

A/N: Sorry for the delay… really struggled with where to take this but I think I finally figured it out a lil… I have the plot

A/N: Sorry for the delay… really struggled with where to take this but I think I finally figured it out a lil… I have the plot line but its where to take the flow of it you know…so yeah anyway here it goes!! The continuation….

THANKS TO Forest Angel Raven4129 Soccer-Bitch and sparkyCSI… and to those that have favorited me again please don't be afraid to leave a review XD I love to see what you guys think considering that I think me stuff really isn't that good compared to others that I've read that I always think is amazing!!

Disclaimer: csi:ny characters aren't mine…I'm not that brilliant but Vicki Lawrence and all the other characters are mine…

--Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--

Vicki and Don were sitting together watching a movie on a Saturday night. All the girls were either at work or on dates. It had been a couple of weeks since the accident and she was free from her hospital trappings. Vicki was still weak at times and had little dizzy spells once in a while. She had collapsed in the kitchen early one weekday morning and made Janel scream at the top of her lungs when she found Vicki passed out on the tile floor. It was enough to make Don take off weekends and surround her all the time. She tried to convince him that she was fine. The doctor had told her this that within the first couple of weeks away from the hospital and IV fluid, it would be expected as her body got back to the right balance. After all she had had a bullet in her gut. However, Don was adamant about being the doting boyfriend he wanted to be.

Even though Don felt proud and accomplished, Vicki only felt burdening and selfish. He was ruining his weekends by staying indoors babysitting her. The sun was out and it was a beautiful November day. It was perfect for playing basketball or soccer or just about any outdoor sport. She knew that he had canceled on Danny on a few occasions. His company however welcome was beginning to get a little stifling as well. She felt the fiery independence that had scared off so many men stirring within her.

"Don" she called to him looking up at his face from under his jaw as the tv screen bounced off colors back at them.

"Hmm?" came his wordless response as he looked down at her, his cheek resting on her head.

"Are you sure you don't have plans today?" She asked him.

"I cancelled them I told you that." He said thrown off that she was asking him about it yet again. "Besides I'd rather be with you."

"But I feel so guilty. I don't want you to ruin your plans just because I'm sick." She told him honestly.

"Look I told you once and I'll tell you again. Right now all that I care about is you getting better. All I do in the precinct is sit around and worry about you, anyway. I don't like knowing at any moment you could faint and seriously hurt yourself. This is what I want. I want to be with you. You're not a burden to me so there's nothing to feel guilty about. Now can we watch the movie?" He said trying to be patient as the anger rose inside him. What did he have to do to convince her that he wanted to be with her? She sighed against him as she wriggled around trying to get comfortable but all she felt was hot and fidgety. She had to get around and walk. Her legs were itching to get up.

"Can we go for a walk instead?" She asked Don making a move to get up. Right away as soon as she moved towards the edge of the couch he was near her looking concerned.

"Are you sure you're alright to get up and move around?" He asked a protective arm around her.

"I'm not an invalid you know! I can stand up and do things on my own and I've been kept in this apartment for too long. I need to get out!" She said pacing around with ease in front of the TV. Don looked at her in astonishment. He had never seen her act so wild. "I love that you're so concerned about me but this is ridiculous! Also not once have we done anything exciting since the accident happened. Its like you're afraid I might break or something! Can't you embrace me, kiss me, anything?!" She yelled at Don as she looked down at him from his position still sitting on the couch.

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Don's jaw set in decision, he stood up suddenly, purposefully and crossed the room. Vicki gasped as he pulled her to himself and brushed his lips across hers before kissing her fully. He held her close making her head swim in delight as she felt his hard muscles against her. She whimpered under his touch surprised by the emotions behind his kiss. His lips were like fire against hers and it made her stomach flutter and a fire spark in her gut that was too unmistakable not to be recognized. He pulled away from her and they both looked into each other's eyes breathless.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to seem like I was avoiding you like that. I guess I was a little afraid. That accident really did make me realize something." Don said looking into her green eyes that twinkled like emeralds.

"What?" She asked him. Her voice cracked with a sudden struggle to make noise. She kind of had a feeling that she knew where this was leading.

"That I'm afraid of losing you. I've been with girl after girl after girl. My family is pressuring me to settle down and it scared me that for once in a very long time, I felt that I might have been able to say I love you and I came that close to losing you but I didn't say it before the accident happened. It turned my world upside down. Please say you felt the same way." Don said finally admitting the truth.

"I did." She said an easy smile gracing her lips. "I mean I think I love you. If this is what love is. I don't even know. Most guys haven't compared to you. One thing that I can tell you though is that I hope this never ends." Vicki finally admitted to him pulling him into a hug. Don pulled back and kissed her again and took her hand into his.

"Let's go for a walk." He said to her with a side smile

"Ok! Can we go to the deli around the corner? The apartment is in desperate need of sandwich stuffs and everyone's been too busy taking care of me." Vicki smiled to Don as he helped her into her coat.

"Sure." Don said as he opened the door and guided her out of the building.

--Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--

They made their way through the city and around the corner hand in hand. As they were walking Don couldn't help but notice that the same dark car he saw parked at the far corner of Vicki's block had followed them and was now sitting at the end of the corner as they walked into the store. Vicki was oblivious which she had every right to be. Only a cop or someone who thought that they were being followed would be that suspicious and paranoid.

Don made sure that wherever they stood in the store he could see out of the window. Vicki looked around, and talked to the guy behind the counter, getting assorted salads and deli meats. She made sure to get plenty of pickles olives and bread loafs as this place was particularly good.

She loved having Don with her. She had to admit they were like all of those couples she hated and was always jealous of as she asked Don what he wanted and what they could have from here for dinner. She asked him what he wanted she noticed how distracted he was. She called his name three times before he would respond.

"Don!" She called laughing at his dazed expression.

"Hmm?" He said looking from her to the window.

"Haha, I called your name three times, day-dreamer. Which salad do you want for dinner?" He looked down quick faking to not see anything he was interested. He was really not concentrating on his stomach and was more concerned with what was outside.

"I dunno…I'm not really feeling like anything so why don't you get what you want honey." He faked smiling and squeezing her hand that had her fingers laced with his. He looked back outside.

"Ok…" Vicki said turning back to the counter. She was worried thinking that something was wrong. They walked to the back of the store and Don cursed in his head that they were so far from the windows that he couldn't see down the block.

Vicki was talking with the guy behind the counter and Don looked at down at the salads straining to hear outside as other people began to walk in and crowd the store. _Not good_, he thought as he pretended to drift through the store looking for other stuff trying to get closer to the window. He was worried about leaving her alone but he wanted to see if he could get a view of the guys in the car. He went to look out the window and watched the car. They looked too shady to wave off his suspicion. They looked big too like mob types.

"Shit…" He cursed under his breath. He thought it had all been over two weeks ago. He knew what they were about to do. He saw one of them look up and he walked from the window too fast and bumped into a mother with an arm full of bags. One of the bags came undone spilling bottles and wrapped items all over the floor. Don apologized and helped her pick up her things as she yelled at him. He looked up quickly to see Vicki laughing at him under her breath. He gave her a crooked smile and a glare as he helped the lady.

He let his guard down as he helped the lady with her bags and almost missed the sound of screeching tires. They were going fast breaking the speed limit three times over and headed their way as people shouted and screamed on the streets. Don got up and looked to the street. There were two windows rolled down and that's when he saw the gun pointed at Vicki. He ran toward her.

"POLICE!! EVERYONE GET DOWN!!" He shouted jumping at Vicki as he thought he heard two shots rang out in the confusion. The first one shattered one of the windows, the second one flew through open door, and Vicki screamed as Don pulled her down to the ground. The bullet meant for Vicki hit the tiles in the back of the store. Don's brain working fast was worried about where the other bullet had gone.

"Call 911!" Don shouted to the store manager as everyone around him spoke in a panic. He hugged Vicki to himself thanking whoever was upstairs that he was fast enough and Vicki was all right as she shook and clung to him. He crawled off of her watching out for glass and stood up. He automatically helped Vicki up as well. "Honey, you alright?" He asked holding her face in her hands.

She couldn't speak and couldn't stop shaking, upset to the point of tears. Vicki looked around at the chaos dazed and then nodded. That bullet was meant for her and her alone. If Don wasn't there and wasn't as quick and skillful she'd probably dead and that was the startling reality she couldn't push from her mind.

She looked up to his eyes and then down but caught the sight of red coming from his left arm and it was turning darker by the second against his tan jacket. Her face blanched and tears started to flow from her eyes. "What's wrong baby?" Don asked looking down following Vicki's gaze. He saw the wound and covered it with his hand cursing as the adrenaline wore off and a burning sensation began spreading through his upper arm. It just grazed his arm but they always hurt almost if not as much as if the bullet had actually gone into his arm.

The sound of sirens came as police cars came to a sudden halt in front of the deli. There was also the familiar black truck that came seconds behind as both Mac and Stella ran out of the truck. They ran into the store and their eyes balked at the sight. There was glass and everywhere and a lady was knocked out on the floor with a mild gash on her head. Mac flashed his badge and said a speech. "Everyone please calm down. The situation is now under control! We are crime scene investigators and request that you all remain here in the store until you are told to leave. We thank you for your cooperation." He finished surveying the crowd. He saw the familiar couple right away and Flack with his hand covering his arm covered in blood.

"Mac." Flack called to get attention. Mac walked over escorting him and Vicki out of the store to an ambulance that just rolled up that already had the concussed woman inside it. "I just got everyone down in time. I think I heard two shots but I can't be sure. One of them shattered the glass of the store and one was aimed right for her. I pulled Vicki down just in time and it hit the tiles in the back of the store. It also grazed my arm. I only saw two guys in the car before it happened they were big and looked like older mob types I never saw what the third looked like in the back of the car and that's the guy that had the gun but both front and back windows facing the store were down." Don spoke saying all the details he could think of that might help them.

Mac held up a hand to make him stop telling him that he should let himself be the victim for a change with a dark and weak chuckle as a medic came over and Vicki began wordlessly trying to help him out of his jacket. "Its ok Vicki let the medics do their jobs. I'm used to it. This is nothing." He said giving her a cocky smile she let go still not saying anything. Don gave Mac worried eyes as Mac steered her towards one of the policemen to have her statement taken. As they walked he tried to comfort her with an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't worry Vicki. Don has been in a lot worse scrapes than this. Don't feel guilty either it's not your fault people are evil." Vicki nodded as Mac left her with an older officer as he began to ask questions and walked back into the store.

Danny and Lindsay had just begun working and had just finished taking prints from all of the witnesses inside the store. "Ok now you can all go outside and there will be police officers taking statements from you and will tell you when you can leave." Danny said authoritatively as the customers and store workers groaned just wanting to go home. Stella was taking snapshots of the glass and other evidence while Hawkes was in the back retrieveing the bullet from the tile in the kitchen.

"How's Don?" Lindsay asked standing behind Mac. Danny didn't go inside but went over to look at Flack's arm and make sure that Vicki was all right.

"He'll be fine; we all know he's been through worse before. It's Vicki I think we're all worried about. This was supposed to be for her and her alone." All the CSI's stared at Mac in grim understanding. "Let's make sure we extremely detailed on this case. Its just involved one of our own." Mac ordered them. They all nodded in agreement. Mac walked around the evidence markings to where Stella was.

"Mac you have to see this. This must've been what hit the concussed woman in the head. It wasn't a bullet, it was this brick." Mac and Stella looked at the blood spattered brick that was in her hands. Mac's eyebrows knitted together at the blood smeared rubber band on it. He eyed Stella and took the brick into his awaiting gloved hands. "What is it?" Stella asked.

Mac turned the brick over in his hands to reveal a blood spattered note held onto the brick with the rubber band. He waited until Stella snapped a few pictures of it and carefully slid the note out and opened it. His normally level eyes flared with anger.

"It was a note meant for Don." He said through a voice thick in anger as he showed Stella in big letters written in marker the words 'SHE GOT WHAT SHE DESERVED'. They all looked out to where Don stood with his good arm around Vicki and his bandaged arm hanging at his side. "She wasn't meant to survive."

--Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--

Danny ran over to Flack as the medic was about to rinse his wound. "Hold off for a sec." Danny said to the guy as he snapped a couple of pictured of the wound and then nodded for the medic to continue. Don winced as the antiseptic went into the gash. "You ok, man?" He asked Don as he saw a piece of material in the wound and the medic knowingly stopped and let Danny take the evidence out Don wincing in pain.

"Yeah I'm ok. I saw them! They were right there I coulda walked towards them, done something. Instead I just let them willingly shoot at her." He cursed as medic began sewing the wound shut. "How is she?" He asked as he looked over to Vicki who was now alone leaning against the car with her head down not even noticing people walking around her.

"I dunno, want me to go ask?" Danny offered as he hopped out from inside the ambulance with a pouch of another piece of evidence that came from the other victim's head wound.

"Yeah, and tell her I'll be over there in a little bit." Don said wincing as more stitches went into his arm.

Danny walked over to Vicki and put a hand on her shoulder. She jumped looking scared. He put his hands up and she sighed in panicked relief thinking that something else bad was going to happen. "How you feelin'?" He asked her with worried eyes.

"I dunno…" Vicki told him honestly. "I thought something funny was going on because Don wasn't behaving normally but I don't know whether I should have expected this… I just don't know how I should be feeling…" She said staring off at nothing.

Danny squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. "Well all I can say is don't try to be brave and hold in your feelings. It only makes things worse believe me." She looked up nodding putting on a smile that didn't reach her eyes that turned a grayish green." Don will be over soon and then you guys can wait or go back to your place or his if you like." Vicki nodded again closing her eyes and looking back down as Danny walked away going back to work.

Vicki was lost in thought as Don came over not too long after Danny left. He threw his good arm around her and she melted into him, hugging him close. The tears flew freely and nothing needed to be said as Don put his chin on top of her head. She had come close to dying and so had he. Both were just glad that they had each other. Don opened his eyes and saw Mac and Stella staring at them with doom and gloom written all over their faces. He walked over with Vicki still attached to him.

"I'll be back in five minutes." He told them without waiting for a response. He didn't want to hear any protests. This had gone on long enough. Now Vicki was in danger of even walking out of her house and for what for not wanting her company to be run by cons. He wasn't even in pain anymore. He was just mad. They walked up to Vicki's apartment and waiting patiently while she opened the door. When they walked in Don forced her to sit on her couch. Don gathered his badge, his gun shrugged on one of his sweatshirts he left at her place from her drawer and made his way for the door.

"You're not going back out there, are you?" Vicki questioned him appalled at the very idea.

"I have to. It's my job and now that you're in danger, its personal." He said his thunderous eyes looking down on her protectively.

"I'm not asking for you to rescue me, save me, or protect me. I'm asking you to stay here with me, where its safe. You were inches off from being killed because of me." She demonstrated with her fingers.

"I face shit like that every day." He said lifting up his chin in pride. "A little bullet graze isn't going to scare me away from doing my job." He said putting his gun and badge on his belt for emphasis. He looked at Vicki with determination. He was going to protect the woman he loved no matter what the cost. He watched her expression change. She looked away from him her body shaking but she quickly stiffened and almost growled as she walked towards him slapping his across the face. She sobbed underneath her angry growls. Her slap shocked him more than it hurt him.

"You jerk! You don't care that while you're off gallivanting and prancing on your white horse in your shiny armor I'm going to be here waiting for your boss to come here and tell me that your dead so that I'll have to live here for the rest of my life sad and lonely like some cat lady. I love you and you don't even care!!" She shouted pounded her fists on his chest for emphasis. Don was so shocked by her admissions that he did the only this he could think of. He wrapped his arms around her. She struggled until the sobs overtook her anger. She sobbed only into his chest. "I love you please don't leave me." She said in between great sobs.

Don lifted up her face, cupping her face in his hands. "I love you too and I could never leave you and I won't ever I promise." He kissed her softly echoing his words in the kiss while he wiped away her tears with his thumbs. "I'm sorry but as a cop of this city I have to go do this." She looked up and nodded tears still flowing. She understood. He knew that. She just didn't want to see him in the kind of danger that she had witnessed and with this being the mob things could be a lot worse. He kissed her again and then scooped her up carrying her to her bedroom.

He kissed her goodbye and watched her breathing ease as she fell asleep. He promised he would be there to take her to Sunday breakfast the next morning. He left her apartment making sure everything was locked up tight before he left. He ran all the way down the block until he was out front of the deli again. Mac and Stella were waiting out front for him.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Stella questioned. She was afraid that he'd let his emotions get the better of him and didn't want him to have IAB on his ass.

"More than anything." He told them both determined. "I have no other choice. I'm not losing her to guys that we can easily take down now. Where are Danny, Lindsay and Hawkes?" He asked not seeing them anywhere.

"They went back to the lab where we're going as well. We're hoping the striations on the bullet will match a gun in the system. I think you should see this too." Mac made a move to show Don the note. Stella gave him warning eyes but he did it anyway. Don had the right to know just how serious this was.

Don read the note in the evidence bag. His face remained alarmingly smooth but his eyes were tumultuous with anger. He looked up at Mac letting his normal routines overtake him. "Will you let me know if you get prints on the note and who it is? I wanna make the arrest on this one." He said seriously. Mac nodded understanding perfectly. Don began to walk back from where he came.

"Where you going?" Stella questioned worriedly. Don didn't stop walking as he turned his head to respond

"To get my truck. I've got someone I wanna pay a visit to and a few other people I wanna talk to. It might help and plus I've got to change if I'm going to talk to the mob." He smirked to them pulling on his sweatshirt. He made his way back to Vicki's apartment knowing that she would know where to find her best friend Tyler, he had some explaining to do.

--Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--

A/N: So there it is chapter 8…. I dunno if I wanted it to be longer but I figured that this was a good place to stop. One step at a time right??

Please read and review me!!


	9. Love and Betrayal

A/N: Hey here we are again… I take so long to write every single chapter :P not cool I know… it probably has something to do with the fact that I recently had some really bad computer problems and like to reread all of my chapters before continuing to write but we're back in the habit again :D….

THANKS TO Forest Angel Raven4129 Soccer-Bitch and Blaze709… and to those that have favorite-ed me again please don't be afraid to leave a review XD I love to see what you guys think considering that I think my stuff really isn't that good compared to others that I've read that I always think is amazing!!

Disclaimer: CSI: NY characters aren't mine…I'm not that brilliant but Vicki Lawrence and all the other characters are mine… Also led Zeppelin is an awesome band and I'm just borrowing they're song for the chapter- you'll see the link when you get there.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don rolled up in his truck to the address Vicki had given him. He looked towards the suburbia house with some trepidation. She pleaded with him not to talk to Tyler but she knew that he had no choice. She also promised not to tell him anything for if she did she'd be tampering with an investigation and Flack couldn't protect her. And her friendship with Tyler wasn't above the law. It was the only lead to the mob that Don had.

Don walked up the stairs to the door and rang the doorbell dressed in a clean suit that he had put on before leaving the city to head to New Jersey. Tyler opened the door and upon seeing Flack's face, frowned at the sight. He stuck his head out from the house and looked around.

"Where's Vicki?" He asked cautiously.

"She's not here. But we need to have a talk buddy." Don said to him pushing on Tyler's chest to force his way in.

"Hey, you can't just do that!" Tyler said slamming the door.

Don flashed his badge. "I'm no longer your best friend's boy friend. Now I need to ask you a few questions."

"Go ahead but you won't get anywhere." Tyler said stubbornly taking a seat in front of his flat screen HD TV that looked a little bit too expensive for the surroundings of the house.

"Humor me." Don said standing in front of Tyler's view. Tyler rolled his eyes sitting back. "Nice TV where'd you get it? Where were you earlier this afternoon?

"Grandfather gave it to me. And I was here." Tyler said throwing his arms around the back of the couch for emphasis.

Don wasn't buying it. "Anybody that can prove that?" Don said sarcastically as he flipped open his notebook clicking his pen as he began writing things down.

"Yeah but she's upstairs sleeping at the moment." Tyler said looking towards the darkness of the hallway.

"And who's that?" Don asked looking from his notebook, raising his eyebrows.

"My wife Courtney." Tyler said smiling and showing Don his left hand with a silver wedding band on it.

"You're a little young to be married aren't you?" Don said mockingly trying to get a rise out of him.

"I'm only a couple of months younger than Vicki but I was in love ever since I was in high school." Tyler said getting a dreamy smile on his face that made Don almost jealous. He knew he could have this with Vicki but everything this guy stood for was getting in the way of that.

"Cute." Don mocked putting his pad and pen back in his pocket. "I'll get to the point since there's no hiding it from you and she'll probably tell you anyway. There's a hit out on Vicki." Don said crossing his arms

Tyler's face looked as if he got shot. "What? Are you serious?"

"I've got the bullet graze to prove it. Lucky you I was with her or else she'd be dead." Don shouted at him angrily. "Now who did it?" Don asked him desperately.

"I dunno really, could've been any number of guys. I'll ask around though. No one is supposed to touch friends or family." Tyler said standing up shoving his hands in his pockets in a stance of defense. Don wasn't getting any where near the family before he did.

Don took a business card out of his pocket and shoved it against Tyler's chest pushing him back down on the couch. "Well if you ask around and do find out something, give me a call. Don't leave town anytime soon and don't decide to do anything stupid! I don't want to have to lock you up. It would hurt Victoria and I'm not about to do that." Don said taking one last stare at Tyler before letting himself out.

A curvy brunette stood at the top of the stairs looking down at Tyler "I heard some yelling, honey is everything alright?"

"Fine babe." Tyler said smiling towards her walking up the stairs.

"What happened? Who was that guy that I saw leave?" She said still in a sleepy haze.

"Oh that was just Vicki's new boy friend. They're pretty serious and he's NYPD." Tyler said the last part with a frown.

"Oh, I miss Vicki. We should go see her sometime. Its great she finally found someone." Courtney said yawning as Tyler's face scrunched up in pain as if she was reopening a wound while he closed the door to the bedroom.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don had driven all the way back to the city and left the information he had received from Tyler before getting set free from work and able to go back to Vicki's apartment. Lately he had trouble sleeping without her. Somehow she chased all of his nightmares away that he used to have. But without her being in his arms, they flooded back with growing intensity. He was damn lucky to have her. Those were his thoughts as he shrugged out of his suit wincing every once in a while because of his arm and crawled into her bed.

She had given him a key to the apartment after that night in the hospital, which he was very thankful for as he draped the covers over himself taking her into his arms. She sighed and cuddled closer to him automatically, still completely asleep. He was satisfied that no one else could get that reaction from her. He smiled into her hair letting the smell of it unwind all of the tension that had built up in him through the night. All he needed and would make him happy was Vicki, he was addicted and she was his drug of choice.

He began to fall asleep as the sun began to make its way back around just barely peeking up over the horizon turning the city sky a deep blue. Vicky slowly came back to the real world smiling at the feel of solid safe muscular arms hugging her to a warm manly chest as she turned around in them and open her eyes to see Flack and his sleeping face that made a light quiet snore in his sleep. She smiled wide watching him sleep his mouth only slightly open. She had to will herself not to laugh. It was the cutest thing she had ever seen. There was something so childlike about it. She moved really close to his face until their noses were only a breath apart. She not only wanted to draw his face but she was dying to touch him even more so than she usually felt the urge to.

She couldn't ignore the feeling any longer as she placed feathery kisses along his mouth. He moved his head and lips in response but only slightly still in a dreamy state. Vicki became bolder gliding her tongue in between his lips begging for him to wake up and give her entrance. He finally reacted waking up, groaning in satisfaction, taking her body flush against his and she giggled against his kisses as he rolled on top of her. All of the humor escaped her as she moaned into his deepening assault on her mouth. His hands hugged her to his solid form and glided their way up and down the sides of her body, his thumbs just barely gracing the sides of her bust. This made her arch into his touch and leaving her gasping for air. _That's new_, Vicki thought to herself as chills deliciously ran up and down her spine.

"Ooo… Now that's not fair, scoundrel." She moaned into his mouth as his hands moved farther under the covers to put light pressure on the underneath of her thighs so that her legs would wrap around him. Neither one could deny how they loved the close contact.

"Who said I had to play fair?" He looked into her half-lidded eyes wiggling his eyebrows. He was trying so hard not to get turned on by her expression that he created for fear that once he started this he might not be able to stop, something he knew she wouldn't want. His staring made him get caught off guard as she flipped him over completely reversing their rolls. Only this time he was in trouble because she was straddling him in just the right spot with her hands bracing his wrists so he couldn't move.

"Aw baby com'on that's not fair!" Don whined trying to wriggle his way out of her vice grip.

Vicki smiled down on him as if nothing could make her day like her being on top of him while he was squirming. She got up real close, with her lips almost touching his and every time he tried to kiss her, she would pull back. She bit his ear lobe and whispered in his ear. "You threw out the rule book scoundrel, now I get to play my way." She sat back still holding onto his wrists and ground her hips against him. "And from the feel of it you don't mind it at all." He grumbled deep in his throat and she jumped but didn't let go of his wrists, giggling as her stereo alarm turned on and played Custard Pie by Led Zeppelin.

(A/N: go here to youtube if you wanna hear the song (.com/watch?v=E4Rv1GAYHLk&feature=email&fmt=18) really hot song!!)

Vicki giggled at the situation that had presented itself, as she began to move her body with the song. She gasped, as Don couldn't help but move with her, the motion searing and making her insides quiver. It was not something she was familiar with but definitely something she could get used to.

Vicki had forgotten to hold on to his wrists in their passion play and Don took the opportunity and ran with it as he weaved his hands into her hair and kissed her as good as he knew how. In turn, Vicki wrapped her self around him in a vice grip and kissed him back with equal fervor. She couldn't help but sigh and swoon, his lips divine, and the sound only drove him on further. When they finally needed air and couldn't kiss any longer they let go and Vicki turned off her stereo.

"That is definitely my new favorite song!" Don gasped, as he lay flat on Vicki's bed looking up at the ceiling completely astounded that she could be so passionate even with her clothes on. Flack wanted nothing more than to make love to her but if just making out was this good he could wait until she was ready. She was so worth it in so many ways.

Vicki giggled biting her wonderfully swollen lips as she made a move to get up from the bed. Don growled and dragged her down as she shrieked. "Scoundrel." She called him before he covered her mouth with his. They would stay like that for whole morning, barely coming out for food also to avoid teasing from the girls.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

While Vicki and Don were enjoying they're time on Lover's Lane a dark sedan with tinted windows drove up to a foreboding factory at a pier on the city's river edge. Several men stumbled out with whiskey and beer bottles in their hands. Some of them were even smoking blunts. The person out of the car last was Tyler.

"Come on, Carmine! Let's get outta here. I told Courtney that you only wanted to talk and that was a couple of hours ago." Tyler drunkenly slurred as he looked across the river to New Jersey. The one he called Carmine, a man who was slightly older and twice his size in a jogging suit with a gold chain around his neck, grabbed Tyler around the neck with his bulky arm and Tyler had no choice but to drunkenly follow him.

"Com'on, Ty, don't worry man! You gotta loosen up, can't let that bitch control you. Tellin' ya, man, she has got you on a very short leash." The big Italian guffawed dragging Tyler closer to the factory. He was the most sober out of all of them. "Com'on I got something in here I wanna show ya."

"Don't talk about my wife like that or else I'll… whack… heh… you." Tyler laughed drinking more from his almost empty whiskey bottle as they walked through the doors and into the dark. He hated when they would get him drunk like this. He was all disoriented and the dark was almost scary as he looked around into nothingness. Tyler heard disembodied voices of his buddies laughing as they moved through the factory and Carmine let go of him as he stood there exposed and alone. "What's going on man?" Tyler questioned fear making his drunken stupor wear off looking around trying to see.

Without warning the lights turned on in the center revealing a fat old man tied up in a chair surrounded by wooden crates. Tyler squinted trying to get a better view from around the blinding light that burned his unadjusted eyes. He recognized the guy as Vinny, one of the old lackies, did most of his work from a car.

"You said you wanted to get the guys responsible for all of this mess with your best friend. Well here's you chance, he's the one that put the hit out on your girlfriend." Carmine told Tyler with a smartass grin on his face, he kicked the chair with his foot. At that the guy tried to scream out but his mouth was bound shut and one of Carmine's lackeys smacked him with his hand.

Tyler winced as Carmine walked over to him handing him a gun. "You always talk about how you wanted to do business like in the old times. Well when someone crosses someone else even remotely close to the family, they gotta get punished. Like in the old days, ya no what I'm sayin'. They get what they deserve, they just disappear. So let's go man, we've only got a short window of opportunity to get away once we dump the body."

When Vinny heard that, he screamed even louder. The screaming was searing the back of Tyler's memory. He had never shot a gun in his life. He had only been joking in the car when he had said that. He was never seriously thinking about killing anyone. His hand shook making the gun rattle and he threw it to the floor. "No man, no, I'm not doing it! This is crazy! He's a human being!" Tyler covered his ears trying to block out Vinny's screams of terror and then his screams of pain when he was smacked.

Carmine got a crazy look in his eye as he picked up his gun. "Fine, you don't wanna do it then huh? Well then I'm gonna teach the two of you about the family business first you and then you." Carmine shouted pointing with his gun from Vinny to Tyler. Tyler chastised himself for what he had gotten himself into. He had never liked Vinny and all of the guys just followed him blindly. He was going to be dead in the next couple of minutes. His life was disappearing before his eyes.

"But before I kill you you're gonna get a good look on how to do it right." Carmine said as his henchmen grabbed Tyler by the arms shoving him towards where Vinny sat. Tyler looked up from his knees at Carmine. The muzzle of the gun laid against Vinny's skulls, he was begging for mercy completely covered with sweat. "Watch!" Carmine smiled as he pulled the trigger. Vinny's last scream died in a gruesome noise as his blood and guts sprayed all over the floor and some even landed on Tyler's clothes. He screamed in horror trying to wipe it off. Everybody around him laughed just watching. Tyler tried to get up and run but instead tripped and fell backwards knocking himself out.

"What are you guy's laughing at? Throw that body in the river. Now! Move it!" Several men set out to take the body still in the chair to the river while Carmine and a couple of his goons stood over Tyler's limp, lightly breathing form.

"Are you gonna kill him boss?" One of the men asked laughing and wishing he would.

"Nah, we'll let him take the fall for it. The bitch has still got more paying up to do." Carmine smirked wiping the gun with a handkerchief and then placing it in Tyler's hand and walked out. The other men were just finished throwing the body in the river when they all heard sirens. "Come on boys lets clear out." They all laughed piling into the car as they drove away leaving Tyler in his own horrific darkness as cop cars began appearing down the street in the distance reporting to a loud disturbance, not knowing what they would get involved in.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don and Vicki lay in bed completely asleep that afternoon. They were completely wrapped up in one another with Vicki's head laying just under Flack's chin. It was the picture of peacefulness, at least until Flack snorted awake at the sound of his cell phone ringing rather rudely. "Huh?" Flack said drowsily unraveling himself gently from Vicki to answer the phone. Vicki whined realizing sitting up that Flack was not near her as she saw him sitting on the edge of the bed talking on his cell phone. "Yeah, it's Flack. What?! Yeah, I'll be there in 20. Yeah, I know. Yeah. Bye."

Vicki watched Flack from behind as he sighed. She could only imagine what had transpired over the phone. "So I guess our lovely Sunday is over." Vicki half-smiled with sarcasm.

"Sorry, Vicki, it's the job, ya know." Flack said his back still facing her.

"Yeah I know. So what do you have to go out for? It better be good." Vicki said inching closer hugging Flack from behind. He leaned into her embrace laying his hands over hers that were locked together holding onto him for dear life.

"Oh it is. Your best friend Tyler's been arrested." He squinted getting up from the bed and turned around to see Vicki sitting there with her mouth hanging open completely shocked. He began putting on his suit as she watched not able to say anything.

She was finally able to find her voice as she watched him get ready. "Tyler b-but how?! Why?!" She stood on the bed so that she could see right into his eyes and Flack laughed to himself thinking that even while standing on the bed she barely was over his head. "Don't just looked at me with those adorable eyes. Say something?! Talk to me!" She implored falling down on the bed. Flack sat down as well sighing again.

_Sometimes this job is just too hard._ He thought. "There was a murder at one of the piers and Tyler was there knocked out on the ground with a gun in his hand."

"That doesn't prove anything!" She said tears coming to her eyes unable to believe that Tyler was even involved.

"There were lots of whiskey and beer bottles at the sight. They also found the guy in the river killed mob style still tied to the chair he was killed in and Tyler had the guys blood on his shirt." Flack said his eyes full of pain as he watched Vicki shake her head as the tears fell. He didn't know what to do as he put his gun on his belt with his badge.

"So what are you gonna do?" She questioned following him out into the hallway to the living room. Jojo and Rama were about to say hi and tease them when they saw the pained expressions on their faces.

"I'm going to go and do my job." Flack said finding his coat on the arm of the couch.

"You can't go and arrest him, he's my best friend. He couldn't have done it! There's no way he's being framed!" Vicki said grabbing the lapels of his coat pleading with him not to go.

"I can't say anything until I get there but its pretty cut and dry." Flack said laying his hands on her shoulders. She looked up at him and suddenly became enraged as she walked away from him her back facing him.

"You think he's guilty. You don't even wanna try to prove he's innocent." Vicki said very calmly with her hands in fists at her side.

"He's a member of the mob, honey, and they're the people that tried to kill you last night if I do recall." Flack said sarcastically wondering why she was fighting this. "They haven't even made it official yet they only have to arrest him because he was at the scene. Look I gotta go now but as soon as I'm done I'll come back ok." He said as he walked over to her turned her around and covered her mouth with his kissing her with all his might. "I love you." He said looking into her eyes. She was lost.

"I love you too but please try and prove he didn't do it. I know he didn't I can feel it." She said hugging him close.

"I'll do what I do best baby, and that's find the truth." Flack said smiling before kissing her again and walking out. As soon as the door closed Vicki dropped to her knees. Never before had she felt so torn.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

A/N: I thought of cutting it off a section before but I think cutting it off here was perfect. I like it much better. What bout you? Lemme know!! I'd love the reviews! :D So there's chapter 9 and I'm gonna try and roll right on to 10 so enjoy!! XD


	10. Chasing Pavements

A/N: Hey just rolling right along with this one… I was involved in some major chaos with turkey day and all that family stuff and now Christmas and then a trip to LONDON!!! Uh… it was absolutely amazing and made my life complete…and then I got sick twice… but I'm gonna keep on writing cause the recent episodes with Flack have given me some inspiration… ;D

THANKS TO Forest Angel and Soccer-Bitch… not that many reviews this time around but it is rather soon to write another chapter but oh well… and to those that have favorite-ed me again please don't be afraid to leave a review XD I love to see what you guys think considering that I think my stuff really isn't that good compared to others that I've read that I always think is amazing!!

Disclaimer: CSI: NY characters aren't mine…I'm not that brilliant but Vicki Lawrence and all the other characters are mine…

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don rolled up in his truck on the edge of the crime scene tape, strutting his way, very purposefully, up to Mac, as he stared at the scene around him. Mac turned, feeling his presence, and nodded to him.

"So what exactly is going on?" Flack questioned. He looked and saw Tyler in handcuffs getting looked at by an EMT.

Mac walked Flack towards the factory. "It's pretty cut and dry, like I said, but I just feel it's too easy. A nearby apartment called hearing the gunshot, and the officers that arrived at the scene entered and found the body in the river, with Tyler over there lying inside the factory, a gun in his hand, surrounded by a pool of blood. He claims he didn't do it." At that Flack gave a wry chuckle to which Mac just nodded with a smile. "There are too many beer and whiskey bottles around the perimeter of the scene to be just from Tyler, and there are tire treads from a car that wasn't here when the cops arrived. And from the looks of the tread marks they left in a hurry and the rubber on the pavement is still fresh."

"So what does it mean Mac?" Flack questioned getting frustrated from the evidence and lack of straight answers.

"I'm not exactly sure but you know it's all connected. Maybe you should go talk to Tyler." Mac said noting Don's growing frustration with the scene around him. Mac knew he would find plenty of answers but without Don's seething hovering. Flack noticed Mac's annoyance with his frustration and nodded walking towards where Tyler sat at the edge of the ambulance.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Tyler sat there with his head in his hands with a shocked look on his face, which to Don looked just a little too convenient. Tyler's head bolted up, relief flooded him when he noticed Flack's approach. Finally, there was someone to back him up instead of looking at him like he was guilty.

Flack jabbed a finger in his chest for emphasis on every word, letting all of his pent up anger ooze out at Tyler. "I thought I specifically told you not to do anything! And now look at ya… you're covered with the victims blood and in bracelets!" Flack waved his arms looking and waiting for an explanation.

"I didn't! You gotta believe me man! They got me drunk and then tried to convince me to kill the guy but I didn't! They did!" Tyler said shaking his hands making the handcuffs crackle as the metal rubbed up against each other.

"Who's 'they'?" Flack questioned him, looking him in the eye. Flack always had this gut instinct that had never let him down, never, not once and he could see that somehow Tyler might not be lying.

Tyler winced looking away. This made Flack growl out loud in anger and anguish. He wasn't going to rat out his guys. If Tyler didn't talk, he'd have to put him away until the evidence the CSI's put together proved him innocent. He looked to one of the blues waiting to put him in a car and take him down to be booked. He waved his hand and said: "Get him outta here!" At this Tyler tried to lunge at Flack to plead for him not to but another cop assisted the one Don had ordered to take Tyler away. And he was taken away, all the while screaming for Flack to see the truth.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Danny looked on from a distance, camera in hand, as he took a short break from the camera lens to not strain his eyes. He saw how frustrated Flack was, but understood. When someone close to loved ones was involved in a crime, it was painful for everyone involved. And the whole situation with Vicki was still not over, which only added to the growing pile. Lindsay came up beside him and saw Danny's worried look. They were all worried for Flack. The whole case was just getting too personal and it was only getting worse.

"Do you think he'll be ok?" Lindsay asked touching his hand with hers. Danny closed his eyes, relishing the contact, and the relief that for once it wasn't him involved in something so personal, and nodded in response. Still, they were all scared Don would crack under the pressure of everything that was going on and do something he didn't want to do, like do something against the oath of his job or to break up with Vicki. _God forbid he should do that_, Danny thought, _if he did… I dunno what he'd look like without her around_. He had to admit that this was one of the girls Flack dated that he actually liked.

Mac walked over to the couple and Lindsay took her exit to continue gathering and bagging the bottles around the perimeter of the crime scene. "See anything?" Mac asked Danny. Danny had the closest affiliation to the mob than anyone had in the team, so he had almost an insider's point of view.

"You want my opinion?" Danny questioned with a raised eyebrow, wondering why Mac would even ask about opinions before the evidence was done being gathered and analyzed.

"More of your gut reaction, a theory." Mac explained with a knowing smirk. Danny walked around, Mac following close behind.

"At first glance… I don't think he did it Mac. It doesn't make any sense. How'd the body get from the scene of the crime to the river? And there's no way the kick back from that tiny revolver could've kicked him all the way the floor to knock 'im out. From the slide marks on the floor I'd say the victim was over there and Tyler was forced to watch his death and probably slid backward on the blood and brain matter. He isn't the killer Mac, he might've wanted to for Vicki's sake, but in the end, he's almost as much of a victim as the John Doe is in the chair. But the question is… who really pulled the trigger?"

"That's what the evidence and Tyler's account is going to tell us." Mac said as they finished gathering evidence.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Back at the precinct Tyler fidgeted in the hot seat that was made out of hard, cold, uncomfortable steel, waiting for Don, someone, anyone, to walk in. He never felt more uncomfortable dressed in police sweats. They had needed his clothes for evidence. It didn't mattered what he wore, he still felt naked to the world. It was as if someone had stripped him naked and put him on display for the whole world to witness, to judge. He didn't know what this was going to do to Courtney, to wake up and find him not at home, not with any of their family or friends. He groaned at the thought and put his head down, because of a growing hang over headache that was starting to set in right between his eyes. That was when the door slammed open and shut, as Don took a seat in the chair across from Tyler. Tyler tried to open his mouth to speak but was immediately silenced.

A dozen or so crimes scene photos were thrust in front of him, all had their own version of extreme graphicness. Tyler turned away from the grotesque images feeling the memories flash back in his memory with painful intensity. The headache was turning into an almost full-blown migraine. He had always been the sick one in the family; never able to help out, or do much, and this was only further proof as the throbbing pain circled around his head. Flack moved to sit on the edge of the table facing Tyler. "I know. Ugly, aren't they? Not as ugly as you being locked up is going to do to your wife." Flack said cuttingly.

"Don't talk about my wife! And you can't lock me up! I didn't do anything." Tyler said stubbornly.

"Oh no?" Sarcasm dripped from Flack's mouth. "We've got your prints on the damn gun, Tyler! We've got a whiskey bottle with your DNA, prints, all over it and the victim's blood is on your shirt. There isn't one piece of evidence that doesn't put the murder on your hands."

"What about the tire marks?" Tyler said pulling up the photo. It was part of his defense but it was more to block out the light from the windows that were making him nauseous. "The piece of evidence that doesn't fit. Where's my get away car?"

"I dunno maybe your boys didn't really get you drunk. Maybe you were just faking, while they were actually drunk and you went into the factory to take care of business. And when you pulled the trigger and knocked yourself out, they chickened out but dumped the body in the river and bolted." Flack said getting up into his face.

"Ha-ha, lovely story. Speculation. It's not true! NOW LET ME OUTTA HERE!!" Tyler said making a move to get up. He felt like he was descending into nothingness and fast. The walls were starting to blur and spin. Flack however shoved him by his shoulder back into the chair.

"Uh-unh. You're not getting outta here until you start giving me some answers, or at least some names." Flack said in his ear jabbing his fingers into the pictures that lay on the table.

"You want some answers? Here's an answer. I didn't do it! I'm innocent!" Tyler said grabbing at his hair wildly with his hands. He could feel pain ebbing from the bridge of his nose around his skull and down through his neck and shoulders. Even his hair felt pain. It was like the pain was ocean waves of needles stabbing him repeatedly but still ebbing, in, out, in, out, and it was only getting worse as he squinted his eyes shut.

"Listen. Tyler. Please. Why don't you prove it? End all of this and tell me who killed this guy. If you do, it'll probably lead me straight to whoever shot at Vicki, and me and who put the hit out on her. Come on. Tell me! WHO PULLED THAT TRIGGER?" Don grabbed at Tyler's sweatshirt as he screamed when a rapping came from the two-way mirror and he opened the door. "He stays here!" He yelled at the officer waiting in the room before walking into the room behind the two-way mirror, where Mac and Hawkes waited for him. "Yeah? Did you get something?" He asked his friends desperately. The only thing he wasn't getting enough of was answers and without answers he couldn't protect Vicki.

"No, we want you to back off of Tyler for a little while." Hawkes said with concern. He looked to the window with that look that Don knew only too well as his doctor look.

"We think he might be in pain and Hawkes wants him checked out before you continue." Mac said sternly. The last thing he wanted for this precinct was a lawsuit spattered all over the eleven o'clock news.

"Oh come on Mac, I almost got him! He's gonna give 'em up!" Flack said as if they were kidding, making him stop in the middle of an interrogation.

"We still don't have all the evidence together yet. We can't prove anything he says in there. Right now its hearsay. What do you think about him, Hawkes?" Mac questioned looking to Hawkes for some answers.

"He looks like he's in pain, Mac. It's probably a migraine, look at the way he's sweating and turning away from light. He doesn't need to be yelled at. He needs pain medication and some rest because otherwise his confession or information might not be viable in court." Hawkes said matter-of-factly.

"Ok that's good enough for me. Don you take off and grab some lunch. Come back in a couple of hours. By then some of the evidence will be processed and Tyler might be more willing to give us the information that we need." Mac said walking out to go back to the lab.

"Mac you can't be serious!" Don said incredulously. He was a witness, at the very least a suspect. They needed to get the information out of him now.

"I'm perfectly serious, Flack. Really. Go grab some lunch; you weren't even supposed to be in here in the first place. And, there really isn't much else that you can do now." Mac said walking out. He knew Don was impatient and wanted answers but there's only so much you can get out of an almost incapacitated witness.

"Fine." Don said giving up. He couldn't eat. He couldn't even sleep, even if Vicki would be in his arms. Then he realized that's exactly what he needed to do. He needed to be around her, at the very least to clear his head. His thoughts had been rushing around his head in big swirls at a mile a minute all day. Trying to see if he could run through all the scum that he knew, to get maybe a whiff, even a clue, as to where to look for the ones responsible for this mess, but the more he looked, the more there was nothing. He needed to get away. At this, Don rushed out from the precinct grabbing his coat, running to his car.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Tyler had his cheek against the cool steel, table, about the only relief that was quickly turning into a bad idea, as it was making things worse, the pain almost returning ten-fold, when someone walked in. Suspiciously, the door was closed very lightly. Tyler was glad he made sense of anything at this point. His eyes were blinded by pain and he didn't even think he would have the power to lift up his head. It felt like it was the size of a boulder. A tray was set in front of him with some doctor equipment and two pills, with a glass of water, and some toast. He looked up with his eyes, the only movement he could manage, to see the black detective from the factory looking down on him.

"What do you people want? Can't you see that I have a migraine? Stupid hangover." Tyler grumbled. He closed his eyes and let out a groan of pain, talking only made it worse.

"I know that's why I'm here. I'm Dr. Hawkes." Hawkes said extending his hand. Tyler looked back over and was cautious but shook the good doctor's hand anyway. "With your permission, I think I should examine you and make sure everything's ok. And then you can take this pain medication, eat some toast, and go to sleep in a cell, all to yourself, until Detective Flack gets back from lunch." Dr. Hawkes said this with a friendly smile on his face waiting for Tyler's response. To Tyler, everything about this seemed a little too nice.

"Why help me? I'm a suspect remember." Tyler said finally but slowly lifting his head from the table. The room spun way to fast than was allowable and he put his head in his hands with a groan. "Alright! My hangover concedes, you can go ahead and do your thing, Doc." Tyler said leaning against the back of his chair.

"Now you have nothing to worry about Tyler. I was a doctor, before I was a coroner, before I was a detective." Hawkes smiled as he put on a pair of gloves. He took out a tongue depressor, making Tyler say 'ah', and all the other particulars of a routine check up. He then gave Tyler, as promised, medication and made sure Tyler ate some toast, before he personally escorted him to a dark, cool cell block at the end of the precinct. Tyler graciously, and drowsily thanked him as he began to fall asleep on the bed, before Hawkes walked away, leaving another clean glass of water behind.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don walked through the door to Vicki's apartment calling out her name and the girls' names. They were nowhere to be found. He checked Vicki's bedroom where he found her snuggled up in the covers for a nap, with some tissues and a bowl of ice cream set aside on the nightstand. He sighed as he gathered up the mess.

This was doing even more to Vicki than it was to him. He couldn't imagine what it would be like for himself, if he were to be afraid to even leave his apartment. He had to make it up to her in some way. He went to the kitchen, shrugged out of his coat and decided he would make them some soup. It was cold outside today and he knew it would do her some good to be taken care of. He loosened his tie, rolled up his sleeves and began to make some soup and sandwiches.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

The puttering around in the kitchen made Vicki wake up from her nap. She looked around and noticed that someone had cleaned up her tissues and ice cream bowl. Her friends had conceded, and let her have some ice cream in her crying over Tyler and Don having to arrest him. She wondered who would've cleaned up; the girls said that they were going out shopping for their dates for the next weekend and wouldn't be back until dinner. She knew she had been alone. She laughed though, when she heard a metal object fall to the tile in the kitchen and Flack's voice curse out loud, of course it was Don. Who else would be cooking in her apartment? She changed out of her pajama pants, into a pair of jeans and walked out to the kitchen.

She watched Don set the table and laughed. For a guy, he was so domestic, such a homemaker. "Hey, scoundrel." She said quietly as he looked up when her foot pressed on a creaky floorboard.

He smiled at her and looked down at the meal, pulling out a chair. "Hey you. Sleep well?" Don asked, as she sat in the chair he offered for her to sit in.

He giggled into the kiss he placed on her head and walked over to his seat, as she yawned and rubbed the sleepies from her eyes. "Mm-hmm. Hey are you laughing at me?" She accused as she watched him sip some of his soup with a smile in his stare.

Don shrugged at her accusation. "I think your adorable that's all."

"Well that's good. Its better to be adorable than to be not adorable, I always say." Vicki smiled in agreement as she bit into a sandwich and swirled her soup. "Thanks for making lunch, this really hits the spot." She said as she stared into those blue eyes she couldn't help but get lost in.

"Not a problem. I was forced to anyway. Mac made me leave from work and grab some lunch. The case is just driving me crazy." Flack said putting down his food to run his hands through his hair, closing his eyes. Vicki bit her lip as she watched him, wishing she could do the same, as she got up from her chair.

"How come?" Vicki asked as she stood in front of him. Flack was about to answer but went silent as all of a sudden he opened his eyes and she was there, with the sexiest look in her eyes. He was speechless, the wind knocked out of him. It was as if all of the negative shit that had happened to him with in the span of twenty-four hours had vanished and he was back in her bed, kissing the hell out of her. She was adorable at times, yes, but also at moments like this, the sexiest thing he had ever laid eyes on. Something deep inside him ached, and it ached for her to be close to him. He reached out for her as he opened up his legs for her to stand between. But Vicki had other ideas as she swung her legs around him to straddle him in the chair.

She looked into his eyes as they were half-lidded, a ghostly blue she had never seen, his jaw tightened. There was so much worry and pain, worry for her, pain for him. She wanted to make it go away so she closed the gap between them, letting her lips slowly move over his mouth, slowly and gently, her tongue ran over his parting lips before entering his mouth. Her fingers tangled themselves into his hair; each finger savored the coolness of his black, sexy locks. The pads of her fingertips, meanwhile, gently massaged the parts of his head that they could find, his head moved with her movements and she swore if she kept going he would purr.

Don hugged her to himself. He never wanted to let go. In one little kiss, she burned him all the way through to somewhere he never knew existed. Flack didn't think she had any idea what she was doing to him either. With one kiss, she was healing his wounds that he had long built up, and easing his pain. He deepened the kiss with a needing ferociousness but quickly broke it to stand up. "Do you know what you do to me?" He asked as he carried her to the couch, her legs still wrapped around him.

Vicki shook her head no, biting her lip, as they landed horizontally on the couch. The sudden fall made Vicki laugh out loud in surprise. This was immediately followed by moans and gasps as Don began to literally devour her as he bit her ear, along her jaw, down her neck, and along her collarbone. Her moans in his ear only drove him on, as he pulled her body flush against him. She tried to focus on the fact that it was going way to fast but it just felt so good to be with him, to feel needed, like the way he needed her. That was when he kissed her, hard and slow so that she felt the kiss all the way to her toes that curled in delight. She sighed into the kiss. It was a sigh that she had never heard herself make, a sigh of pure ecstasy. They were about to kiss further, when Flack's cell phone broke the silence of the room. Flack growled in frustration but answered the phone.

"Yeah, Mac? Really? Great. Umm…" The 'Umm' was prolonged do to the fact that while he was on the phone talking, Vicki had taken the liberty of opening up his shirt and kissed along his jaw bone to the space of his neck just behind it before his ear. She licked the space and then blew on it, making Don's whole body shudder downward from his neck. Her legs wrapped around his thighs while her hands dug underneath his shirt, clawing down his back through his wife beater. His whole body went rigid and he lost his ability to form words. It was so silent as Vicki bit along other spots on his neck, that they could hear Mac trying to get Flack's attention. Flack shook his head and Vicki giggled into his neck as he regained his ability to talk. "Yeah, Mac. Yeah, I'm here. Yeah. Meet me there in 30. Ok. Bye."

A rumble was heard through his neck when Don hung up the phone, as he took a fistful of Vicki's long brown locks and forced his mouth onto hers. She moaned and giggled with delight into the bruising kiss. That was when he broke apart and looked into her eyes, now a stormy shade of jade, that were half lidded and trying not to roll into the back of her head. He had to admit that he now lived for moments like this. "Yeah…I gotta go." He said before kissing her on the lips once more before getting up.

Vicki sat up on her elbows looking at him in astonishment. "W-W-Why? You told Mac that you would meet him in a half an hour." She said pouting, following him to the door, which he opened while swinging on his jacket.

"I know but I gotta make it all the way to Brooklyn." He said apologetically.

"What's in Brooklyn?" Vicki said as he took her in his arms, running his fingers in her hair one last time as he kissed her hard, deep, and quick.

"A lead and Tyler's awake! I need to question him before I get there." He smiled as he rushed down the hall. He quickly shouted, "I love you!", before going down the stairs. Vicki shouted in kind, laughing to herself, as she closed the door. You could only hear the shouts of glee coming from her door in the hallway.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Back at the precinct, in an interrogation room, Tyler, again, sat nervously in a chair alone. He knew this time that he had to say something, if not for his own sake, then for Vicki's. His family was dangerous if you crossed them, and in here he couldn't try to protect her from them.

He made the decision to give Carmine up; this was all his doing and not Tyler's. He needed to say something before it was too late. "Hey! Somebody! Anybody! I know you can hear me! Where's Flack? I've got a tell him before its too late!" He called out to the mirror he knew wasn't really a mirror at all. At his last call the young lady who was at the crime scene as well walked in.

"You're ready to talk?" Lindsay questioned him taking a seat in the chair across from his.

"Where's Flack?" Tyler asked, unsure of whom he should trust and whom he should tell.

"He's following a lead. He was going to come here to listen to what you had to say but traffic made him head straight to the lead. Now if you talk to me I'll make sure to tell him anything you tell me right away." Lindsay said to him, pleading to him for his support information.

"Well I got a name for ya, someone who was there last night. He orchestrated the whole thing. I'll give it to ya but you gotta let me go." Lindsay nodded in agreement. "Carmine Sassone. He's an older cousin, controls about half the city. I don't really know any of the other guys that were there. I usually never do. He had it all planned out, get me drunk with our buddies, fellow mob brats with nothing better to do but party and get drunk. We got to the factory all stumbling and drunk, and they went inside. I followed them in and then he threw on the lights. There was the old geezer sitting there all tide up. He gave me the gun first and tried to convince me to kill the guy, I almost did but I didn't. They were wailing on the guy like it was funny that he was gonna die. The guy kept on screamin' begging to get out but they just kicked him until he shut up. I looked down at the gun and realized how crazy the whole thing was. I threw it away; he took the gun and threatened to kill me after he killed the guy. I thought he was really going to do it. So as soon as he made me watch while he shot the guy, all of the guy's guts and blood got on me, I freaked and tried to run away. Fight or flight, ya know what I mean. That's when I slipped and fell backwards. After that everything is completely black." He looked to Lindsay who was watching him as he told his story.

"How did the gun end up in your hand in the morning?" Lindsay questioned him trying to put the missing pieces of his story together.

"God, you people don't listen!" Tyler shouted running his hands through his hair exasperated. "I told you guys he framed me! He stuck the gun in my hand before the cops got there." Tyler said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He watched as Lindsay's mind began to work and she told him to wait there before walking out. To this, Tyler groaned in frustration. She returned promptly with her kit. She took out a pad and a bottle of liquid.

"Let me see you hand." She ordered him as she blotted the liquid onto the pad. She wiped the pad on his hands in selective areas. She smiled at him showing the pad to him.

"So? There's nothing on it." Tyler said shrugging. He had no idea that she was proving his innocence.

"It takes forty-eight hours for gun shot residue to wear off after someone uses a gun. Lucky for you, you didn't shoot the gun, no residue." Lindsay said proudly. Finally the truth was out. "Stay here I'm going to call Mac and Don. You'll probably have to stay here until Flack gets back." Lindsay said apologetically before running out of the room grabbing her cell phone out of her pocket. She dialed Mac's number and waiting for his answer.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Don arrived at the Brooklyn address in record time. He was in high spirits as he looked at the name Carmine Sassone in his note pad. He had definitely run into trouble with this family before. He saw Mac pull into a spot across the street and got out of the car waving to him. Mac walked across the street holding his evidence kit in one hand. This was strange to Flack seeing as how there was no scene to process.

"Expecting a crime scene?" Flack said sarcastically.

"No Lindsay just called while I was on my way over here. Your boy talked. He spilled the whole story. He said that Carmine shot the gun but the wiped it clean and stuck it in Tyler's hand. She's checking the bullets left in the gun for Carmine's prints and I'm gonna test for GSR, then we'll have no doubt he did it." Mac said catching Flack up before Flack rang the doorbell. A woman appeared at the door, she looked like she could've been a wife right out of the Sopranos, designer everything with a lot of jewelry and too much makeup.

"Can I help you?" She questioned the two men with an arch of an eyebrow. They both flashed their badges and she wordlessly let them in. She showed them to the kitchen and called for Carmine. Carmine burst out of the back of the house angrily. He was ready to shout at who ever disturbed him when he saw them standing their and they flashed their badges again. His demeanor changed completely when he greeted them.

"Officers, welcome to my humble abode, what can I do for ya?" He questioned sitting himself at the table.

Neither Flack nor Mac was buying it. Mac flashed the warrant that he had received immediately from a judge. Everyone had been waiting for a reason to take down this family. "We've got a warrant to test your hand for gun shot residue." Mac said proudly, knowing that they had him surrounded by evidence. Carmine was not going to go quietly. His face fell when Mac pulled out the warrant. Tyler must have talked, the ultimate betrayal. Carmine got up and started walking around his kitchen.

"You know detectives I'm real sorry that you had to come all the way down here. But you see the thing is…" Carmine started saying as he pulled out a kitchen draw to which Flack pulled out his gun unsure of what Carmine was doing. "…You guys assume that I'm going to come quietly but unfortunately for you…I'm not!" Carmine threw a knife of a size Mike Meyers would've applauded in their general direction. Flack shot his gun in defense hitting one of the cabinets. Carmine's wife went screaming into another section of the house, cursing the day she ever married him. The knife embedded itself in the wall and while Flack and Mac were diving away from it and making sure no one was hurt, Carmine ran out the back of his house. He ran into the back yard attempting to climb the fence to get away. Flack was quick to follow grabbing Carmine by the pants before he could hop onto his fence. He dragged Carmine to the floor hard. Carmine in the shock of it was unable to resist as Flack turned him over and slapped him with handcuffs.

"You know in this case I don't mind ya running, 'cause now we can take ya in and we don't need a reason." Flack said in Carmine's ear smugly picking Carmine up before dragging him away to cop cars that had been called by Mac in the house. An officer took him away from Flack to take him away.

Carmine wasn't going to go quietly. "You know all it takes is one phone call! One phone call and I'm outta there! You got nothin', nothin'!" Carmine shouted over his shoulder as the officer shoved him into the back seat of the squad car. Flack and Mac also got into their perspective trucks to head back to the precinct.

When they booked Carmine, the GSR was there loud and clear, DNA from the bottles put him at the scene, and fingerprints and partials found on the gun and bullets put it in his hands. The dead guy they found out had a rap sheet that was longer than Flack was tall, all of the crimes were murders of people he had been paid to kill and through the grapevine from undercover officers and other connections, they heard that Vicki had been next on his list and he had been paid in advance by Carmine. At this, Flack had let out a breath of relief. It was over and she was safe, finally safe.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

Flack was preparing to leave later that night after completing all of the paper work for the case and after a call to a relieved Vicki that she was finally free to live her life again. He exited the precinct into the cool air. With Carmine back off the streets he didn't worry about what was going to happen, people like Carmine who were unafraid of the law were scary and unpredictable. Less of them around was a damn good thing. He walked to his car and drove away, worry on his face fading making the weight of the past month fade away.

--------------------Gentleman vs. Scoundrel--------------------

A/N: Whew… long chapter. Lots of information… hope you guys can follow everything that's going on… please let me know what you think… always love the reviews. This one definitely took me a while… I kept on editing and editing and editing. Anyway… I hope you guys enjoy! I know I did ;D Review please loves!


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